Theater review: Nunsense

by Clyde Berry of of John Garcia's The Column

Dan Goggin's Nunsense (now playing at the Artisan Center Theater in Hurst) is a seemingly easy show to pull off, after all the plot is pretty simple, and the set constraints are few for the clever minded. All that is needed are five singing actresses that can charm a crowd and deliver punchlines. A bit of improvisational skills doesn't hurt either. What seemingly would be a great choice for Artisan, especially with their multiple casts was sadly not what it could have been.

Nunsense concerns the efforts of five of the remaining nuns from the Little Sisters of Hoboken to bury the last few nuns in the convent who died in an accidental mass poisoning by Sister Julia (Child of God), the convent cook. The last few nuns are being kept in the freezer until the burial funds can be raised via a cabaret style evening showcasing the nun's talent. We, as audience members, are sitting in the gym of the Mount Saint Helen's School, operated by the nuns, to attend said benefit. Of course, these lovable nuns' efforts often go awry as they proceed through their planned entertainment.

Directed and Choreographed by Greg Burton, this production only scratches the surface of the gold contained in the script. While Nunsense is, in a sense, the prepared benefit show by the nuns, it is also, as much and almost more importantly, how the nuns handle the problems in the course of the evening. In other words, the "offstage" events are just as important as the "onstage" entertainment. We see both in equal amounts, and yes, at times the offstage action is in song as well. The trick is in making the offstage sequences seem spontaneous, which Burton neglects to do. The manner the cast deals with the planned sequences is no different than the problem solving bits, or squabbles between sisters. As such, there is no tension to the story, nothing is at risk, nor will there be any consequences. A shame, as the cast is capable of much more than being cute. Technically, the light cues use specials and seem to expect the off track events to happen, again killing any spontaneity of the events.

The surviving nuns consist of the Mother Superior, Sister Mary Regina; her second in command, Mary Hubert; the novice, Mary Leo; the streetwise Robert Anne, and the confused Mary Amnesia. The personalities of these Sisters are very important, and yet they were underdeveloped. Regina and Hubert have a friendly rivalry over who is really in charge (or should be), yet the performance I saw had only what was scripted as any evidence of their head butting. Awkward, especially when the songs and dialog mention it. There was no sense that this was an ongoing event between the two. Mary Regina also has to be the firm ruling hand and maker of policy, so that when she does let her hair down, we see more of the woman, and less of the position. Again, characterization is lacking. Each nun has a private moment of realization in the show that lets us in to their pre-service life, and is a often a charming reaffirmation of faith. Without seeing these different aspects of their personalities, we miss so much of the storytelling. In staging, the same repetitious patterns are used in most of the "regular" choreography, and far too much happens in the far corners where folks cannot easily see. Artisan stages in the round, and Burton chose to choreograph many of the songs instead of staging them. The lack of interaction between the Sisters in the dancing further prevents any character development. Usually Mary Regina stood center stage while the other Sisters each took a section of audience and planted themselves for a bit for their footwork. Other opportunities are missed altogether, such as a number announced to be in the style of the Andrew's Sisters. The number was sung sitting on stools in a corner, when it would be much better served as a center stage Boogie Woogie feature that the audience would recognize.

Overall the cast seems tentative in all of their moves, dances and banter. From the opening of the show in which the Sisters welcome the audience and deliver the obligatory fire exit speech and Artisan promotions, it is clear they are unsure if they "have said everything on the list". Improvised interactions with the audience are awkward and strained, again showing a lack of confidence in their characters. Sister Mary Annette (marionette) is poorly operated. As was pointed out in an intermission speech, there are multiple casts who only rehearsed in the actual space a few times before opening. Perhaps Artisan should rehearse a single cast that is better prepared than two groups that have to split time, and not really be able to work together. Once the show has run a few more times, I know that the ladies will grow more comfortable in their roles, will relax, and have a great deal more fun, which will show in their performances.

Crickett Pettigrew has done a nice job with the habits for the nuns, though she should be on patrol for personal jewelry and makeup unbecoming a nun before the ladies hit the stage. Jason Leyva's lights cover the space well, but his design again betrays the plot by being ready for the mishaps that the Sisters encounter. They are also very abruptly operated. Melissa Tillman's special choreography is appropriate and works well for some of the ladies who may not have as much dance experience. Burton and Leyva's set design is basic but mostly effective. Jon Kennedy's sound design does not help the artists. The music overpowers their microphones, which really aren't needed in a space that size, and only serve to amplify vocal problems.

Even with these flaws, the show is funny, and I didn't see anyone in attendance that was not enjoying it. The script has the usual Artisan family scrubbing (and surprisingly kept the "Rush" scene) and will still be an enjoyable evening for the family, just not as much as it could be.