No Such Thing As Hell?

The Christians

Today, do most people believe they’ll go to heaven as their reward for being good? Are they frightened of being sent to hell if they’ve been bad during their lives? What happens when the minister of an enormous and financially solvent megachurch suddenly declares in his Sunday message that there’s no such thing as hell? This is a controversial play comprised of all kinds of questions, but there are no answers are offered. 

Eyebrows are raised when a pastor, who’s comfortable sharing personal stories within his sermons, relates a tale about a young man who sacrificed his life in order to save his little sister. The fact that this youth had never known the Christian God or accepted Jesus Christ as his savior means that, in this church, despite being good, the boy was destined to spend eternity burning in hell.

 Pastor Paul admits before his congregation that, after a lot of deep thinking and soul searching, he just can’t get behind that idea. Paul has come to the conclusion that hell doesn’t really exist. He believes that heaven is all inclusive and waits for every single person. He states that the word “hell” is actually derived from an ancient word meaning garbage dump, where the bodies of criminals were once burned. Paul further says that the souls of all men, women and children, good or evil, will be met with the loving arms by God in heaven, and all their sins will be immediately forgiven. It’s an admission that, quite understandably, doesn’t sit well with many of his congregation.

Playwright Lucas Hnath (“Hillary and Clinton,” “A Doll’s House, Part 2”) first presented this controversial drama at the 2014 Humana Festival in Louisville. Then it premiered the following year at New York’s Playwrights Horizons where it won the Outer Critics Circle Award for outstanding new Off-Broadway play. In this North Shore premiere, talented Director Scott Westerman guides his actors and leads his production with a cool head and a calm hand. He focuses on the Pastor’s message, allowing it to create the tremors that gradually seep into the fiber of his parish. 

Because of how the play is staged, employing high technology, the theatre audience turns into the church’s congregation. As Paul is challenged by the young Associate Pastor, the Church Elder and financial leader, as well as some members of his flock, the audience begins to think about and question the minister’s message. Hnath’s play isn’t about faith, but a story about the influence of leadership, whether it’s religious, political or social. It’s a look at how the strength or failure of an organization’s doctrines affects the faith of its followers.

Citadel Artistic Director Scott Phelps steps into the role of Pastor Paul, competently playing this character with a strained smile and the warm demeanor of a man who seems genuinely surprised at the schism he’s created. When confronted by those in his flock who object or simply question the pastor’s revelation, Phelps’ minister calmly advises them that they’re free to leave. Which they do, much to the shock and dismay of Frank Nall’s nervously conservative Elder Jay. 

When Pastor Paul is challenged and his message is refused by Joshua, the young, street smart Associate Pastor, there’s nothing to be done but force him to depart the church. Joshua is played with a quiet passion and dignity by Manny Sevilla. Even Jenny, one of the congregants who assists with the audio/visual duties of the church service, questions her pastor’s recent decision in doctrine. She’s played with honest sincerity and sadness by Abby Chafe. Jenny wonders why Pastor Paul has waited until now, after the new church has been paid for and operating in the black, to shed this new light. She, along with several other congregants, make the choice to abandon their longtime  congregation in favor of Pastor Joshua’s new church in another part of town. Even Elizabeth, Pastor Paul’s devoted wife, who chooses to sit quietly by his side throughout the sermon, ultimately makes her own life-changing decision. Elizabeth is played with love and a certain unruffled calm by Mr. Phelps’ real-life spouse, the exquisite Ellen Phelps.

This production takes Citadel Theatre to a new level. The one-act is staged within Jonathan Berg-Einhorn’s luxuriously ecclesiastical physical setting. But the theatrical environment is extended in a series of realistically photographed videos and projections. They’re illuminated on a giant screen centerstage, along with two additional side screens. The illusion is created through Ian Merritt’s excellent Cinematography. The entire production is illuminated by Lighting Designer, Bobby Lee. And a talented choir performs at various times via video loop during the 80-minute play. The singers include Leah Hungerford, Margaret Izard Oskoui, Amanda Payne, Alex Salas and Angela Torres-Kutkuhn. Their music fills the theatre providing authenticity and lifting the congregation’s spirits. 

This is a play that won’t appeal to everyone. It’s often difficult to watch, but it will challenge every audience. No matter what a patron’s religious beliefs are, there’s food for thought in this concise, yet inconclusive drama. It dares to ask some very controversial questions but it also has the good sense not to provide any solutions. Lucas Hnath’s drama challenges each theatergoer to formulate his own answers.

Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas   

Presented February 10-March 12 by Citadel Theatre Company, 300 S. Waukegan Rd., Lake Forest, IL.

Tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling 847-735-8554, x1, or by going to www.citadeltheatre.org.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.