Review: HOLE! at Soho Theatre

HOLE! follows the Church of Garth, a Nebraska religious sect established by Pastor Garth after he receives a revelation from God in a dream. In the vision, God tells Garth that the only way to survive the apocalypse, also known as The Great Sucking, is to wear a butt plug at all times, and that Garth must share this message with his congregation. When he tells his wife Trisha, she leaves him and their 7-year-old son, Luke. Garth addresses his congregation with his revelation and ordains himself as a prophet. Although 400 members of the church leave the sermon, 80 members stay, and thus begins the Church of Garth.

17 months later, there has been no Great Sucking, and members of the sect are starting to doubt Garth. When one member of the church removes her plug, the wind suddenly picks up, and she is sucked straight up into the sky, disappearing forever, marking the beginning of The Great Sucking. The effect is global, with sinners everywhere being sucked up into the sky, butt first. Once all the sinners have been sucked, it appears the threat is over; however, even after mass suction, plug removal still causes anyone to be sucked into the sky, and therefore the Church of Garth orders its members to stay plugged.

11 years later, now 19-year-old Luke and his best friend Connor are questioning Garth’s teachings. When Luke and Connor are caught defying the orders of the church, they are sent on a cross-state pilgrimage to prove themselves to Garth. It is their duty to unplug the groups of plugged sinners that were warned by Satan and end The Great Sucking once and for all.

American Sing-Song are a comedy duo formed of Jake Brasch and Nadja Leonhard-Hooper. Their acting was fascinating, with the ability to play a full cast of characters between the two of them. The performance was funny and creative. It made use of many devices for sound effects and music, from the clip clopping of their donkey to the hum of the car that they use to drive from Omaha to Cincinnati.

HOLE! is a piece of theatre designed to shock, entertain, and delight its audience. Its clever production and storytelling result in a unique standout show, perfect for theatregoers looking for something unlike anything they’ve seen before, and likely will ever see again. If you miss it at Soho Theatre, the production plays at the Underbelly Cowbarn during the Edinburgh Fringe between 5th and the 30th August: (tickets available at Edfringe.com)