The God Of Hell by Ellipsis Theatre Co.

When renowned American playwright Sam Shepard wrote The God of Hell in 2004, it was intended to be a dark satire of post-9/11 “Republican fascism.” Against the backdrop of those halcyon days of flag-waving, Iraq-invading, Bush-reelecting America, The God of Hell was searingly relevant. Has its patriotism-on-steroids ethos aged well into the late 2010s when, it seems, our politics have gone completely through the looking-glass? 

The new production of The God of Hell at 35below by Ellipsis Theatre Company makes a strong case for the continued importance of this play, one of Shepard’s last works before he passed away in 2017.

The God of Hell, like many Sam Shepard plays, is a deeply surrealist and darkly funny work within a setting of almost mundane realism. In this case, we are in the kitchen of Emma and Frank (Karen Covington-Yow and Daniel Sandoval, respectively), a pair of old-fashioned Wisconsin dairy farmers who pride themselves on living a quiet, simple life in the heartland. 

Their bucolic existence is interrupted by the arrival of a stranger, Mr. Welch (Daniel Henry), a gregarious combination of shady national security official and door-to-door salesman. Welch barges in the door offering patriotic paraphernalia like flag bunting and tablecloths — and asking a whole lot of mysterious questions. Despite Emma’s resistance, Welch begins to infiltrate the family in pursuit of his original prize: a houseguest, Mr. Haynes (Badi Mirheli), an old friend of Frank’s who is suspiciously vague about where he came from.

Spearheaded by the Bush-era zeal of Welch, the action of God of Hell becomes increasingly dark and absurd. Director David Sebren consistently steers the play towards its sweet spot, a liminal zone that is darkly comic and supremely self-confident. 

Sebren is helped along in his vision by a stellar cast, whose rapport with one another and natural feel for the rhythm of Shepard’s dialogue make the play immensely enjoyable.

As patriarch Frank, Sandoval has an uncanny ability for connecting with his scene partners, delivering an earnest and almost sweet performance. As Emma, Covington-Yow remains grounded in her salt-of-the-earth persona even as events in her household spiral out of control. Both Frank and Emma have quirky compulsions (he with feeding his heifers, she with over-watering her plants) that could be played clownishly, but Sandoval and Covington-Yow both keep straight faces throughout, heightening both the realism and the comedy of their relationship.

Henry has both the most important and the most difficult role as Mr. Welch, a slithering, suit-clad manipulator who represents the worst excesses of American macho capitalism. The actor locks into this sociopath and doesn’t let go. Many times, his diatribes about America are as funny as they are horrifying. He is a magnetic presence in this show.

Finally, as the mysterious Mr. Haynes, Mirheli brings an intelligent, almost sophisticated quality to the character. His brooding, suspicious nature is like a ticking time bomb that adds a nice layer of suspense to the show.

The God of War could be more polished. There were some flubbed lines, and all of the actors started out a little rusty, although they got much better as the show progressed. There is a quite a lot of staging where the actors’ backs are to the audience, which is always a missed opportunity for facial expression. Also, there is a bizarre lack of a curtain call at the end of the play, so the audience at the show I attended was a little confused and unsure of when to leave. 

On the other hand, the production design by Lila McMillan is very professional and detailed, with a retro oven and sink loaded into the cramped environs of the 35below black box theater.

In general, as a small, scrappy, and newish theater company, Ellipsis Theatre should be applauded for pursuing challenging American classic works. The God of Hell is a tough play to get right, and Ellipsis’ production mostly does. It is an engaging, entertaining, and thought-provoking show. In an age where authoritarianism lurks behind every tweet, it’s probably a good topic to skewer on stage.

The God of Hell runs through November 17 at Ellipsis Theatre Company, performing at 35below at Asheville Community Theatre. For details and tickets, visit ashevilletheatre.org.

(Photos by Chelsey Mirheli, courtesy of Asheville Community Theatre. Pictured at top: Daniel Sandoval and Karen Covington-Yow)

Mr. Welch (Daniel Henry), Frank (Daniel Sandoval), and Haynes (Badi Mirheli) in a scene from The God of Hell.