The God of Hell: 2 1/2 Stars, But Only for Free.

Plotnik and Ducknik saw Sam Shepard's 'The God of Hell' last Saturday night. Due to baseball contingincies it was impossible to comment until now.

The author says he writes a new play everytime a President named Bush invades Iraq. Plot liked 'The God of Hell,' but he had a big problem: Shepard is basically drawing
the tiresome Mime Troupe/Leftie portrait of George Bush -- the over-the-top American Flag-hanging bad guy/buffoon. Shepard's whipping boy is Nuclear power and fear plus loony patriotism the tools to be used.

Not that every word wasn't true. Plot's problem with these har-har portrayals of Bush/Cheney/Rummy is that the portrayals have gotten reall-l-ly old. Painting them as dancing monkeys in skirts avoids the more important undercurrent: these are very dangerous, clueless men. Maybe soon, someone with Shepard's craft will make a political statement that doesn't feel five or ten or thirty years old.

Or maybe not. It's theater. The play itself was good. They actually cooked bacon on stage. The audience was drooling. 'The God of Hell' was one or two scenes too short, though -- Sam had his point to make, and he made it, and that's about all he was interested in. It's not 'Buried Child' or 'True West.'

How interesting: The Magic Theatre and the A.C.T. are both 40 years old this year. Their latest plays: one brilliant ('Travesties') but too long, one very good ('God of Hell') but too short. Average them out and you've got fine theatre.

The Great Plotnik Theater Awards Division awards 'God of Hell' Two and a Half Stars, but Plotnik did not have to pay for his and Ducknik's tickets. The people sitting next to Plot and Duck paid $75 per ticket for Opening Night. They were not offering Two and a Half Stars quite so glibly, when the cast surprisingly came out for their bows and the lights went on.

But for Free, sure. 2 1/2, and please, Sam, next time, write one that really counts.