Nunsense was a whimsical look at what could possibly be going on behind the scenes in a convent, including but not limited to ballet, puppets and mass deaths due to poisoned soup.
Nuns singing is a funny enough idea to draw a crowd looking for a laugh, but the Rivercity Players took Nunsense to a whole other level.
The meticulousness of Kristy Miller’s vocal directing was evident. The harmonies were fantastic and each characters solo performances were not only strong but also engaging and amusing.
Each character was well cast, but my favourite was Mother Superior, played by Doris Wagner. She was a character foil unto herself. She sometimes had the appearance and tone of a strict Mother Superior that you see in the movies but then she would throw finger guns around or use precious dollars to buy a fancy T.V.
Audience participation was a must, they were a character written into the script, or so it seemed. But the high energy actresses left even the shyest shouting along in their seats.
The set and props were very minimal, giving room for the fancy footwork and long notes to breathe and fill the space.
I was a little disappointed with the ending, a bit of a cop out in my opinion, but while I’d have much rather seen the nuns struggle with their funds a little bit more, the performance was engaging, the comedy was belly-clutching and the music was catchy – we caught ourselves singing the final song on our way out the door.
I didn’t know what to expect walking in to the show but I left entertained and excited to see the next performance the Rivercity Players put on.
The show runs Nov. 23-26 at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee on the 27 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are available at Rivercity Stage Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and at Impressions Custom Framing, CR Laundromat and the Tidemark Theatre.