A Case for the Existence of God: a breathtaking glimmer of hope
13 Nov 2024 - Photos by Cylla von Tiedemann

Two men meet at their daughters' day care. We meet them after that event, in a sterile office where Keith, Mazin Elsadig (Pass Over), is a mortgage broker. Ryan, Noah Reid (The Archivists, Schitt's Creek, Hamlet), is in need of a mortgage in order to buy back a piece of property that was in his family for generations. The two are from different worlds, Keith wears a suit while Ryan wears a t-shirt, jeans, construction boots and a baseball cap. Keith knows the rules of finance while Ryan is used to coasting on charm and personal contacts. They belong to different classes and Ryan says, "Having money is the only reason I have permission to be alive." Despite the differences, the two bond in the effort to get Ryan his mortgage, turns out he has very little money. The one thing they have in common is their dedication to their daughters, their determination to be good fathers. The slight difference—Keith is a gay single foster father hoping to adopt, Ryan is going through a divorce and fighting for custody—is far outweighed by the similarity of their situations.

A Case for the Existence of God moves quickly as their personal issues and nascent friendship take precedence over the mechanics of securing a mortgage. Keith's efforts to stay on track are derailed by Ryan's digressions and a few realizations the two share. It is very funny in most places, with a sad and naggingly worrisome undercurrent throughout. Elsadig and Reid are in fine form, and with director Ted Dykstra (Dion, Rumours, The Father, ;Hand to God) they turn the metaphor rich dialogue into casual conversation, and letting it build in what feels like a natural progression. And build it does to a shattering climax. Followed by a totally unexpected and simply beautiful epilogue that is so apt and stunning that there was a pause to catch our breath before the well-deserved ovation. All the plight regarding the rights of a father and financial inequalities, is given not a happy ending but a resounding note of hope. The future might not be as bleak as it seems as the present happens, playwright Samuel D Hunter and this cast and crew, making a case for the existence of a benevolent god.

Elsadig is initially tightly wound, with good reason as we learn. His wariness plays well with Reid's casual charm. Both are facades that the actors peel away slowly and with gentle precision. Most importantly, we never doubt how much they love, and live for, their daughters. And just how devastating the loss of them would be. While the friendship may initially seem unlikely, it becomes plausible as the two reveal more of their emotions, fears and realities. There is a wonderfully written and enacted scene where Keith's sexuality is revealed and discussed. It is brutally true-to-life and hilariously awkward, before building to a delicious comic payoff. Even the scene where the friendship is brought into question in terms of sexuality is well handled. Two men do not have to fuck or fight, they can be friends. A Case for the Existence of God has a lot to say about masculinity and not all of it is in the context of fatherhood. There was a point where I questioned if the focus was too much on the fathers with no concern for the mothers; the powerful ending erased that errant thought.

A Case for the Existence of God is intricately structured with seemingly casual asides revealed to be powerful metaphors. Kudos to Elsadig and Reid for making us care for two characters who live and breathe in the face of tragedy. And kudos to all involved for taking us to the depths of everyman tragedy before offering that breathtaking glimmer of hope.