| God's Favorite |
by Neil Simon
|
Directed by Jerry Davis
|
October 2002
|
Synopsis
Neil Simon's actually made a funny play from the Book of Job transferring the scene to a
Long Island (here relocated to Hot Springs) mansion where resides a tycoon, his wife, a
prodigal son, and a pair of kookie twins. Then one night a messenger from God enters with
a big G on his sweatshirt. Our modern Job won't renounce God, so a fire is sent to wipe
him out factory and home. Everything becomes a test of his faith, including his family.
He tries listing his prodigal son's qualities and can't think of any. His wife asks him
how he can love a God who makes him suffer and he says his prodigal son makes him suffer
and he loves him. He believes he's been chosen to show how much a man can love God. He gets
an itch, then, neuralgia, tennis elbow and hemorrhoids. Having lost everything, God in the
form of the messenger answers him. The messenger admits losing and asks for a letter of
recommendation.
"Awesomely funny.... The work of a man of vision. It'll make you laugh out loud." N.Y. Daily News.
"His jokes have a kind of hilarious deadpan ecstasy and, even better, are taken from life." N.Y. Times.
|
Published by Samuel French.
|
