Much of the play focuses on discussions about religion rather than sexuality, pitting Luke's earnest proclamations about Heaven and the Rapture against Adam's stalwart and often snarky skepticism. Adam also endures some proselytizing from Brandon (Kevin Kaine), Luke's former friend who is still listed as his emergency contact on hospital forms. Brandon hardly approves of Adam — and especially not Luke's "lifestyle" — but the reasons behind his disapproval pack even more of a punch than Butch's single-minded bigotry.
It's Edmiston's direction of this gifted cast that brings Nauffts's play to the next level, helped by the clever lay-out of the set. The hospital waiting room dominates center stage, continually reminding the audience of the persistent worry about Luke, even as flashbacks to happier times unfold all around it. Edmiston's blocking emphasizes compassion and closeness, with Roach and McGarrahan throwing themselves completely into their stage directions: cuddling, breaking apart to scream at one another, and devolving into rolling around and tickling each other. This may be a simple story, but it's one that will inspire you to believe – perhaps not in a God as judgmental as the one Luke imagines, but at the very least, in love.
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