The Recreation Center for the Handicapped (now called the Janet Pomeroy Center), situated between the San Francisco Zoo and Lake Merced, hardly seems like heaven. But for writer/actor and former Center employee Ron Jones, it was heaven for 30 years, a place where God talks to people and where miracles happen. Now retired, Jones recounts his experiences in his multimedia solo show, When God Winked. While it's an affecting performance filled with humor and heart, some unclear writing and sloppy acting weighs it down.

In fact, the real story here is that When God Winked marks the inaugural production of The Marsh's newest space in Berkeley's Gaia Building. The Marsh has created quite a reputation as a breeding ground for new performance in its Valencia Street home, which is currently running Trailer Town and has seen the likes of Josh Kornbluth and Robin Williams on its stage. Opening a second space across the bridge is quite a coup for founder Stephanie Weisman and for the artists that have called The Marsh their home.

While Jones is a Marsh veteran, When God Winked doesn't seem quite as finished as the new theater does. The most cohesive and entertaining parts are the stories he tells about the clients. Jones forms a basketball team, the Wildcats, whose undefeated record probably has something to do with one of their teammates operating the scoreboard, among other tactics. Field trips to Macy's ends with clients cavorting in the window displays. Office machines go on a "sympathy strike" when a staff member locks the copier so Jim can't photocopy a bunch of pictures to leave in random places around the building. Jones portrays these characters and more, as well as the strangely religious founder Janet Pomeroy, whom God apparently talks to quite often. But all isn't well in this heaven. A new management team cuts programs and staff, and starts charging the clients for the programs. Governor Schwarzenegger's budget cuts only make things worse. Soon the clients who relied on the Center couldn't afford to go there anymore.

While that's a sad comment on how the current political and economic climate has affected the disabled community, When God Winked is probably more poignant to those who have some connection to the Janet Pomeroy Center. Otherwise, it doesn't quite gel as a universal story. In several places where Jones is playing two or more characters in conversation, it's hard to tell who's who. He hasn't differentiated the characters enough with his voice or his body, or the writing has awkward transitions. The projected photos and videos are a nice touch, but sometimes take us out of the fictional heaven Jones has created to remind us that the Center is a real place, which is jarring. Worse, the projected news story about the Wildcats is more entertaining and cohesive than Jones story about them is. Frankly, these are pretty basic problems Jones's director David Ford, who is a veteran solo show director, could have corrected before opening night. Perhaps the dull moments will be polished by the time When God Winked travels back across the bridge to Valencia Street for an extended run.
Playing through September 16 in Berkeley; playing September 24 through October 16 in San Francisco.