The adventure in New York

I mentioned that we went to see The Screwtape Letters last night in New York City. The play was excellent. C. S. Lewis wrote this very insightful work in 1941. In his book he turned the world upside down and inside out and gave us a glimpse of the Devil's point of view in the battle for souls.

It sounds silly, but Lewis manages to show us how temptation can really destroy us and lead us away from God. He shows us how the devil uses temptation to lure us into actions that we don't want to do. At the same time he reminds us that God only wants what is best for us. At one point the main character, Screwtape, laughs at the idea that God could really love us, but then admits that it appears to be true for there is no other explanation for all that God has done.

In this Broadway quality production that received great reviews at Playbill.com, Max Mclean plays Screwtape, the Undersecretary to the Devil, in charge of all tempters. He did an excellent job. Karen Eleanor Wight played Toadpipe, his personal secretary. She didn't speak a word but her facial expressions, grunts, hoots and playacting was so enjoyable.

The trip itself turned out to be an adventure and I think everyone had a good time. Here are so pictures from the outing.

We left the church at 10:00 a.m. and shot down Route 395 and then onto 95 straight into New York. At just after 12:30 we arrived in the Bronx and decided to park near Yankee Stadium because we needed to find an open air parking lot to accommodate the fifteen passenger van.

We took the subway down to 42 Street and then found a place to have lunch. We settled on the Europan Cafe and that was a good choice. After lunch we wandered down the street and enjoyed the sights. We made our way up to the theater at 3:15 p.m. and found that it was really an old Episcopal Church that was set up to host the theater. I was told they still have weekly worship services there and have an active congregation.

We met Steve and Patricia Ohlund there. They had come in early to visit family. We also met Becky Lord and one of her roommates there. Becky lives and works in Manhattan now.

The show lasted 90 minutes and it was well worth the trip into the city to see it. Afterwards we retraced our steps and although there were a few more "adventures" we made our way home. Someday in a sermon or an epistle you might hear a little more detail. But enough said for now.

Cal