Reflections in Hell
Over the years, I’ve come around to liking Mr. Hell. Recently, thanks to Facebook, I’ve reconnected with the mother of the child who inspired Mr. Hell. I suggested she bow out of this little adventure, but I really don’t know.The thing that still bothers me is I don’t remember the baby’s name. She would be in college now. Other than that, I feel good about it.
The writing is solid, the acting is tight, and there is a targeted rage which still comes through, even on a tiny screen.
Over in the documentary section, “Lara’s Tour of the Hospital,” sums up how I feel about it, watching her dad, with his shaved head. A loving, murderous, rage.
At its core, it is the story of the bet between god and the devil over Job. First Hell goes for gays, then blacks, then women, and finally Job himself, and there was no god to defend him and he gave into hate and cost god the bet. There is a quote/saying about how the Nazis came and this is how I structured the piece. A few people have picked up on the reference.
It is interesting to me that women are generally more receptive to this piece than men. This has held true on the stage and small screen versions.
The Kennedy seat has fallen to a Republican. There really is an HIV rapist basketball player somewhere in the world, gays are still front and center for the fear-mongering class, single, unwed, mothers, don’t suffer quite the same abuse as the once did, but Hell seems almost an original thinker, next to Glenn Beck and his kind.
It would be nice, but I don’t see Hell going out of style any time soon.
