Hollywood Hell House: Carny-ization of Fundamentalists - Page 2

Likewise, in the rape gangbang scenes (the rape is only suggested and there is no nudity or kissing or what would pass as heavy petting), the gang (Jim Kohn, Ben Hoffman and Eric Giancoli) that drugs Jessica, the victim (Becky Thyre) aren't subject to critical admonition either. Instead, we examine the victim who decides to commit suicide. You won't be surprised here because that's the comic strip featured on the Web site.

The other sinners Roberts focuses on are Steve (Kevin Pass), a gay man dying of AIDS (and the viral infection is apparently part of God's will), and a young man who decides to shoot his classmates and teacher and finally himself.

After a journey through hell (a worthy grotesque which was a credit to make-up and costume designers), we do get an audience with one of the rotating Satans. Bill Maher has played this part, but you never know who you might get since the full cast of 200 rotates every Saturday. For Satan (David Cross on Sept. 18), whose speech is especially long, the cue cards are plastered on the wall.

Luckily, we are saved from Satan's monologue by a blonde, blue-eyed angel (Melanie Truhett) who leads us to Jesus (Ron Zimmerman), smiling, even as he's pinned to a cross. His speech is predominately voiceover.

Being saved, we are now given a choice between hell and donut holes. In a land ruled by low carb diets this might seem a hard choice. But we are soon led to a room where we can imbibe red punch and donut holes as another group of actors (Loretta Fox Bill Rukoski, Paige Bernhardt, Adam Wodka, Barbara Romen, Julie Cain, Stephen Rowan Katie Schwartz, Josh Trank and Morgan Krantz), all with bad hair and dressed in nerdy clothes, bounce around and sing Christian songs. You can also "pin a sin" on Jesus posting board, buy a t-shirt or visit the concessions.

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Article Author: Purple Tigress

Former theater critic for the LA Weekly and Los Angeles Times . For the last five years, an editing slave at a dot-com but recently laid off. Currently an under-employed freelance writer and artist.

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  • 1 - sarah

    Aug 08, 2005 at 6:03 pm

    hello

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