Hellish Delights, directed by Jesse Edward Rosbrow and now enjoying a run at Manhattan’s Chain Theatre, is a collection of four short plays by award-winning theater and television writer Scott Sickles.  Originally staged five years ago, this production was among the final shows produced at Shetler Studios before the pandemic forced its closure. As the title of this well-chosen collection may suggest, all four stories explore the darker side of human nature, with the tone ranging from provocatively tragic to downright devilish.  Other than that commonality, the four short plays seem to come from completely different realms of the theater world. The playwright has created a diverse collection of nine (ten?!…) unique characters– which, incidentally, are astonishing played by only three actors (Brian Silliman, Amanda LaPergola, and Alyssa Simon). 

The first of these stories is Bulletproof Love.  When we first see the play’s two actors, speaking via non-contact visitation phones in what’s clearly a prison setting, we know that something out of the ordinary is about to happen.  The woman, Ramona (LaPergola), is wearing a lovely white bridal gown; the man, Ambrose (Silliman), is in a prison jumpsuit. That sitcom-style sight gag alone was enough to make the audience chuckle… but when Ramona roars out the play’s very first line: “Well, if you didn’t want to get married, YOU COULD HAVE JUST SAID SO!…”, the audience absolutely erupted in laughter.  And, that audience reaction was before we even got to hear the “he said, she said” saga of love and murder which followed.  Ambrose tells his story first… and even though his character is utterly menacing, aptly describing himself as “I am BRUTALITY and MESS.”, he is also so funny that it’s hard to dislike this character.  But fear not: Ramona, as we learn, can more than hold her own against her obsidian-eyed mountain of a paramour.  After all, Ramona just wanted to “paint the town blood red.”  Well, she arguably got what she wanted…  Bulletproof Love is loud, raucous, and outrageous– but it also may be one of the most unorthodox love stories to come onto a stage in a while.  The story, by the way, seems almost secondary: Bulletproof Love is almost entirely driven by its characters. Those characters are savagely portrayed– which, of course, suits this piece perfectly. 

Although it’s a very different setting, the second piece The Fallow Garden also opens with two characters:  Marie-France (LaPergola) and Glynnis (Simon).  As Marie-France is digging a hole for an unknown reason, Glynnis carries on with an aura of privileged pretention, engaging in one-way small talk so inane that it borders on the ridiculous.  This character seems to have been very likely inspired by Katharine Hepburn’s highly manufactured mannerisms; The audience almost expects Glynnis to declare, “The calla lilies are back in bloom!” But despite the manufactured politeness between the two, and the play’s many funny lines (mostly courtesy of Simon’s Glynnis), the audience knows that there is something deeply sinister going on.  Forget about “Southern Gothic”; This is NEW ENGLAND Gothic.  A third but unseen character, (voiced by both LaPergola and Simon at different times, in a truly impressive directorial touch…), named Lavinia, makes her presence known.  Ultimately, the true story of all three women comes out. If the tone of Bulletproof Love was dark, the tone of The Fallow Garden is simply diabolical. Astute audience members may even figure out, at least in part, where the story is going– but few could expect the play’s MANY twists and turns, which continue right on to the last few moments.  Also, any theater piece which explores the phenomenon of the black market slow loris trade is going to get MY vote…   

With a title inspired by an invocation in Shakespeare’s Henry V, O, For a Muse of Fire is more of a provocative tragedy than a thriller.  Lane De La Croix (Simon) is a revered music composer who has suffered a traumatic brain injury.  Her kind and patient former lover Vaughn (Silliman) is trying very hard to get her to “get back on the horse”, metaphorically, and start composing again.  However, it’s just not that simple for Lane.  She remembers her past, but only as an outsider looking in– as if watching a movie of her life rather than being an active participant. Largely thanks to Simon’s performance as Lane, it’s heartbreaking to hear her experiences.  That said, as with the other plays in Hellish Delights, O, For a Muse of Fire is decidedly NOT without humor, especially when Vaughn breaks into a patently atrocious song in an effort to re-inspire Lane. The audience REALLY loved that moment…  Out of all the four plays, this is the one which will most likely inspire post-performance discussions, especially with the play’s seemingly open-ended conclusion.  

Rounding out the foursome of Hellish Delights is Somewhere South of Bethlehem, which indeed takes place south of Bethlehem–.  WAY south. It literally takes place in Hell.  According to one character, “Everybody knows why we end up here.”— even if, as the same character adds, they are too ashamed to admit it.  Speaking of which: This piece starts out with one character (played by LaPergola) trying to do a reenactment of the Nativity– with puppets (!).  However, her “actors” aren’t taking it too seriously. Those actors are Hell residents (Hellians? Hellites?) Lucrezia Borgia (played by Simon) and “Nicky”, AKA “Old Nick” but better known as Satan himself (played by Silliman).  And who is the character who’s trying in vain to direct nativity scene?  It’s none other than 1920’s and 30’s evangelist and media celebrity Aimee Semple McPherson!  If the scenario seems absurdist and over-the-top to begin with, your assumptions are correct.  And that’s a great thing.  The puppet show, featuring Sharon Epperson’s Original Puppets, is a mini-masterpiece of zany comedy in itself.  But there’s a more serious aspect to Somewhere South of Bethlehem.  Ms. McPherson, for example, cannot figure out why someone as “virtuous” as herself would wind up in Hell.  The other two characters try to help her understand, and the resultant dialogue and explorations of morality is alternatingly hilarious, provocative, and guaranteed to inspire some lively conversations about religion after the show.

True to its name, Hellish Delights is both hellishly subversive and absolutely delightful.  The direction is impressive, and the transition between plays is especially smooth. The acting is wonderful, with all three players displaying an admirable range at playing very different characters.  Don’t waste another second of eternity; Get your tickets today! 

Theater Beyond Broadway’s Hellish Delights will run at the Studio Theatre at Chain Theatre located at 312 W 36th St, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10018 until Sunday, May 10th.  For tickets, visit https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/theatre-1171071850/hellish-delights-2025