I Made it Out of Clay

Kander (Do Not Eat This Book) serves up a fizzy story of the desperate lengths to which a Chicago woman goes to find a date to her sister’s wedding. Eve, a Jewish woman who was born during Hanukkah, is about to turn 40 and serve as maid of honor at her younger sister Rosie’s Hanukkah-themed wedding. Perpetually single, Eve’s more focused on her annual tradition of ironically celebrating Christmas than on lining up a date. During a drunken night out with friends, she works up the nerve to invite her hot British neighbor, but he can’t make it. The next morning, she crafts a golem out of clay, names him Paul Mudd (he looks like rom-com staple Paul Rudd), and decides to take him instead. In Jewish folklore, golems often serve as protectors as well as companions, and Paul’s presence comes in handy during the dramatic third act, when the wedding is interrupted by antisemitic violence. Kander does a fine job making the mythical creature believable, and she ably captures Eve’s mixed feelings about Rosie’s happiness. It’s a delight. (Dec.)