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NUNSENSE II by Dan Goggin 19 November to 6 December 1997 Directed & Choreographed by Simone de Haas Musical Direction by Brad King Cast List Review Naughty Nuns Fun To Watch Alison Cotes - The Courier Mail - 25 November 1997 Forget about the Brides of Christ. The Little Sisters of Hoboken are more like Brides of Crisis, for no sooner have they got rid of the botulistic bodies in the deep freeze (don't ask) than the Franciscans ("I've seen serial killers with more compassion") are descending on them to demand not just Sister Amnesia but the money she won in the Vatican Lottery (much more fun than Vatican Roulette). It makes you wonder what the Roman Catholic Church is coming to. Once the vow of Poverty has gone out of the window, we tremble for Chastity and Obedience (although there's very little of the latter to start with). And the sin of Envy gets deadlier by the minute, as the sisters outdo and upstage each other in their desperation to be noticed by the Cameron Macintosh talent scout reported to be lurking in the audience. That's the plot, such as it is, but it exists only to provide an excuse for these five incredibly talented nuns (who in their other lives are Alida Rae, Heather Keens, Leisa Barry-Smith, Susan Lorette Dunn and Alison Kerr) to strut their stuff and give us everything from country and western to soft-shoe shuffle and hot gospel, even finishing up with a bit of Riverdance, and all the while wearing full black habits. You'd never mistake these nuns for Avon ladies. Along the way you learn to play Catholic bingo, where everyone wins; sing along with that old Dominican favourite Seven Franciscans Locked in the Lavatory; and get the chance to buy Christmas specials from the Catholic Gift Catalogue, including a Pope-on-a-Rope shower soap. Simone de Haas and Mixed Company have done it again. Just when you thought you never wanted to see another play about nuns, along comes this piece of inspired brilliance, with jokes naughty enough to be funny, but not so offensive as to shock your favourite Mother Superior. These sisters act (and sing and dance) superbly, and Nunsense II is far and away the best show in town at the moment, even if it doesn't shed any light on the greatest metaphysical mystery of all time - what colour are nuns' knickers? |
