Everyone knows the official version of what happened when God got pissed off with Sodom and Gomorrah but is that what really happened? Old Soles Theatre Collective’s God Save the Sodomites, by Aliyah Bourgeault and Emmet Logue, playing in Native Earth’s Minogitoon Workspace Giizis Studio, gives us a different version. God wants Sodom (and Gomorrah… look we all know what the Sodomites were up to but what’s with Gomorrah?) smited/smitten? whatever but Abraham has nagged God to save Lot; the one righteous man in Sodom (maybe?) and God is fed up of arguing with Abraham (who wouldn’t be). So he sends the Angel of Wrath Af (Emmet Logue) and trainee Angel of October (and genitals) Barbiel (Aliyah Bourgeault) to do the smiting with the proviso that if they can find five genuinely good Sodomites they can spare the city. Af is unwilling to complicate matters and argues for instant smiting but Barbiel persuades him to at least look for the five worthy Sodomites.

And that’s where the audience comes in because we are the Sodomites and on taking our seats have filled in a questionnaire with our goodest and baddest deeds. These, together with St. Peter’s book; a rather confused tome as he hasn’t been born yet, will determine whether we are saved or not. The sorting process is quite revealing. How does one weigh rescuing a raccoon from a dustbin against nursing a dying relative? Or the heinousness of adultery against punching someone who deserved it? The answer of course, as with all truly complex problems, is a show of hands.

Meanwhile an angry mob has appeared outside Lot’s house; where the Angels just happen to be. They have heard the Angels are beautiful and they want to, well, Sodomise them. Even the offer of Lot’s two virgin daughters won’t appease them. It’s becoming kind of obvious that Lot (Kaleb Piper) is not all Abe has cracked him up to be. In fact the only good thing he’s ever done is marry the only truly good person in Sodom; his wife! Af is still all for wholesale destruction but Barbiel feels that God’s Will is better accomplished by smiting Lot; which she screws up. And that’s how Lot’s wife gets salinated.

It’s very funny and sometimes thought provoking. The direction (Jack Davidson) is crisp and all the actors do justice to their characters. Logue is suitably wrathful, Bourgeault is très sympa and Piper is a bit of a creep. The sound design and lighting are really pretty impressive for a fringe show in a tiny theatre with limited resources. Definitely worth a look.

God save the Sodomites plays in Native Earth’s Minogitoon Workspace Giizis Studio until July 12th.