Ye Gods!

March 29, 1993
In Holt's ( Flying Dutch ) latest wacky mythological comedy, the Greek gods have been dethroned by Christianity, ``the Great Leg Pull.'' Apollo, Minerva et al. brood on Mount Olympus, change shape at will, intervene in current human affairs and scheme to take over the world. The plot centers on rebellious, pizza-eating youth Jason Derry, whose father is Jupiter, the Great Sky God, also known as TV repairman Douglas Derry; his mother, fretful, overprotective Phyllis, doesn't realize she's married to a divinity. Although Jason is tired of being a hero, Prometheus is determined to see the boy fulfill his destiny. The god sends an eagle to spy on him; in so doing, the eagle becomes Sharon, the girl next door. When Jupiter resolves to destroy the earth and move his operations to a parallel universe, all heaven breaks loose. Holt unleashes a nonstop barrage of anachronisms, jokes, banter, wisecracks, bathos, outrageous puns and wordplay. Much of this is zany, irreverent fun with a serious underlying intent as Holt turns Plato, Virgil, Freud, Christianity and quantum physics--in short, the whole of the Western tradition--topsy-turvy.