From the second when nuns start wandering through the audience saying "hi", you get the immediate impression that Nunsense is different from many productions put on by Stage West. Featuring razor sharp humor, divine performances and audience interaction, Nunsense is a great way to kick off 2007 at Stage West!
The original production opened in New York in 1985 and ran until 1994. Nunsense is the story of the surviving Little Sisters of Hoboken (a one-time missionary order that ran a leper colony on an island south of France), who discovered their cook, Sister Julia Child of God, accidentally killed the other fifty-two residents of the convent. It was her tainted vichyssoise soup that killed everyone instantly from botulism, and only these few escaped unharmed as they were off playing bingo with a group of Maryknolls. Upon discovering the disaster, Mother Superior Mary Regina (Susan Johnston Collins) had a vision in which she was told to start a greeting card company to raise funds for the burials. The greeting cards were an enormous success and, thinking there was plenty of money, the Reverend Mother bought a flat screen TV for the convent, leaving her with no money to pay for the last four burials. With the remaining deceased nuns on ice in the deep freeze, they decide to stage a variety show in the Mount Saint Helen’s School auditorium to raise the necessary funds. Joining Regina are her second-in-command Sister Mary Hubert (Cheryl Mullings); Sister Robert Anne (Dawn Bergstrom), a streetwise nun from Brooklyn; Sister Mary Leo (Heidi Ford), a novice who is determined to be the world’s first nun-ballerina; and whacky Sister Mary Amnesia (Kristin Galer), who lost her memory when a crucifix fell on her head.
The show exploits every pun possible – penguin walks, a nun puppet named "Sister Mary Annette" and references to many aspects of the Catholic church that had the crowd roaring with laughter. The strongest parts of the show include Mother Superior getting high on RUSH poppers and stumbling around the stage making bad Nun puns, a series of Nun impressions by Sister Robert Anne and a hysterical cooking segment. ("Oh look! A recipe for Boy Scouts! First get twelve brownies reaalll hot...")
The interactive experience also adds to the enjoyment of the show. Audience members are quizzed and brought on stage to help out. I even got in on the act as Sister Mary Leo walked by looking stunning and I said "Damn baby, you’re fine! Do all the nuns in your convent look like you?" I now have to do seven Hail Mary’s to repent.
During the actual show I managed to answer Sister Amnesia’s question about why the Nuns left the leper colony, and was rewarded with a bright red frisbee stamped "come fly with the lord" which I will cherish always.
Nunsense is a risky show in that, with the wrong talent it could bomb horribly. Fortunatly director Di Nyland Proctor put together a cast that not only handles the sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek nature well, but also brings their own individual talents that add to the production. Bergstrom and Galer have outstanding voices and can belt out their numbers with goose-bump inducing effect, and Ford adds grace to the stage with light ballet dance scenes.
You don’t have to be Catholic to appreciate the show, as the humor is universal. Still, it doesn’t hurt to have the upbringing, as many of the subtle jokes will jog a memory for those who were raised under the Catholic Church. During intermission I heard several people comment "they are certainly different than the Nuns I grew up with." I am sure many wished that these zany sisters had in fact been their guides during their youth.
The show has been updated with more current references (for example, in the original Mother Superior bought a VCR – quite the expense in 1985) but the heart of Dan Goggin’s original piece still shines through. Nunsense spawned five sequels and I’d certainly be interested in seeing these children of God return to the stage for another go...or two. What better way to celebrate Christmas this year then with Nuncrackers?