By Jackie Demaline
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Jesus Hopped the "A" Train, in its regional premiere at Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival, is all about theatrical fireworks.

Playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis uses the criminal justice system and issues of faith and humanity in contemporary America to fashion a drama that isn't strong on logic or originality, but that's overflowing with the kind of roles that invite The Big Wow from an audience.

Kenn E. Head, imported from Chicago, delivers The Big Wow.

Mr. Head plays Lucius Jenkins, a serial killer who has found God. He spends his one hour a day outside his cell at Riker's Island (famous from Law & Order episodes) doing calisthenics to honor his Savior and embarking on poetic flights through the chain-link that separates his cage from that of Angel Cruz (James Martinez).

While Mr. Head dazzles, Jesus is really Angel's story. Angel is 30, angry, poorly educated, and he's done something bad for a good reason. Angel hasn't been able to save his best friend from a religious cult, he hasn't gotten any help from authorities, he thinks it's a crock that the cult leader drives a Lexus and has a stock portfolio so, frustrated, he shoots him in the tush.

Suddenly he's at Riker's on a charge of attempted murder.

There are terrific visceral scenes in Jesus, starting with the opening.

It's Angel's first night in his cell. Mr. Martinez is compelling, terrified and trying to pray, calling up the Lord's Prayer from distant memory. Harold be thy name? Angel's terror plays out in a rat-a-tat of the F-word punctuating his efforts, against a cacophony of inmates trying to sleep.

It's one of many gorgeous scenes. Playwright Guirgis is also an actor, and he clearly knows how to write to showcase the performer, and he doesn't seem to mind sacrificing storytelling to do it.

Jesus is peopled by stock characters, from Brian Isaac Phillips' sadistic prison guard (when haven't we seen this?) to k. Jenny Jones' hard-as-nails public defender who reignites her flicker of humanity. Too bad for Angel, she's a lousy lawyer (and not big on ethics.)

Mr. Guirgis stacks the deck higher and higher. Angel's problems deepen when his victim dies. "Complications" following surgery are mysteriously mentioned. With prime-time TV dominated by lawyers and medics, why didn't malpractice occur to Angel's attorney or his playwright?

Mr. Guirgis' drama in all probability isn't straying far from the horrible realities of somebody like Angel, caught up in an overburdened system peopled by burned-out idealists and brutal failures. But more coherence would have made Jesus even more effective.

There is much debate about religious belief, but the characters doing the debating are all so extreme it's hard to get exercised, intellectually or emotionally. And Angel's disinclination to believe in God doesn't seem remarkable, given his life to date.

Even with its problems, Jesus provides one thing we don't see much of on Cincinnati stages - a hard dose of reality. It succeeds in introducing us to people who aren't like us. It gets under our skin.

The acting ensemble keeps things interesting and director Jasson Minadakis keeps the energy and emotions at a fever pitch. He's also admirably willing to keep the theatrical risks coming and make live theater an adventure.

Jesus Hopped the "A" Train, through Nov. 17, Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival, 719 Race St. 381-2273.

E-mail jdemaline@enquirer.com