By Arlene McKanic
The first look at the set is a little deceptive – it's the trashy bachelor pad of Jackson Pratt, an environmental lawyer whose own environment is a dump. Crumpled paper, dirty clothes, old pizza boxes, Snapple bottles and cartons from Chinese takeout are everywhere. The place screams “slob,” and indeed, Jackson (Glenn R. Meyers), who makes an appearance snarfing down popcorn to an old rock 'n' roll song, is indeed a slob, but only physically.But what's truly odd about the setting is the frost on the windowpanes of Jackson's front door. It's July, in a place that feels like New York and there's snow on the ground and it's 40 degrees below zero. Soon after we take this in the doorbell rings and in walks – to thunder and a flash of lightning – a black clad figure named Otto.What's happened, Otto explains to a startled Jackson, is that hell has frozen over and the unusual weather is a manifestation of it. And everyone who promised to do something “when hell freezes over” is now going to have carry through, whether that promise was to get married, visit the doctor, join the Peace Corps or eat sushi. In Jackson's case his lightly made promise was to his old law professor, to successfully complete a summation. On top of this, about 25 women promised to marry Jackson “when hell freezes over” and now they are gathered, in the brutal cold, outside his door, with baked goods and naked photos of themselves.To help these hapless folk keep up their end of their bargains, hell has sent emissaries, or dark angels. Otto (the wonderful Greg Johnson) is one of these beings, who unlike a real demon used to have an earthly life, but was such a jerk that he now spends eternity serving the cosmic order by way of The Big Bad. Another dark angel (or DA) is Bernie, played hilariously by Rene Bendana in Hell's Angel gear (natch); Bernie's client is Jackson's best friend, Ralph Shaw, played with a lovely, cringing panache by Jimmy O'Neill. Also in the mix is the loving, maternal, motor-mouthed Annie (Amie Backner), who pops in now and then to make sure Jackson's place doesn't become uninhabitable and that he eats real food now and then. She both is and is not his cousin – I won't give away exactly what she is at the risk of spoiling it.Indeed, the plot does get a bit convoluted, but the action, as the mortals figure out how to either keep their vows or get out of them, is wonderfully nutty. Act Two grows unexpectedly deep after the farce of Act One, bringing up such themes as redemption, self-sacrifice, the power of love and other good spiritual stuff without losing the play's humor. Act Two also brings up the devil himself, played with brilliant menace by Cameron Hughes as a Capo di Capi with earring, bald head and two tiny little horns tattooed into his forehead.Perkins, who also directs, and his great cast never let the often manic energy level flag and they're helped greatly by Ed Voyer's surprisingly subtle sound design and the unsubtle set construction by O'Neill and Amanda Doria. Doria had the unhappy task of cleaning up the mess in Jackson's living room in between acts; you had to feel sorry for her.”When Hell Freezes Over” is a riotously funny and surprisingly moving and thought-provoking work.It'll be at the Trinity Lutheran Church till Feb. 12. Call 718-736-1263 for information.
