Ok. First off- this play isn’t really for kids. Chicken was too sick to go, but Nugget and I went off to the the show as it is a sold out run and we couldn’t change our tickets. We were actually approached as we entered and were warned that some material was not suitable for children- like the scene when the nun accidentally sniffs glue and starts acting “silly.” But I thought- “judgement be darned. We are here and we are going in.” And I am so glad we did.
Most of the adult humor went right over Nugget’s head. The parts that were not appropriate for him made absolutely no sense to him. And there were still parts that had him laughing out loud. He giggled and giggled as we used our hands to quietly mimic some of the onset choreography.
For those of you not familiar with the story, a chef makes a bad batch of soup and the majority of the nuns in the convent die. As mother superior chooses to use some of their funds to buy a 70 inch flat screen TV, they run out of money for the remaining burials and have to begin fundraising. And therein begins the hilarity.
Broadway Rose made the bold choice to give the role of Mother Superior to their male co-founder, Dan Murphy. And he was perfect. Absolutely perfect. Poor Mother Superior tries in vain to keep her nuns in check and get on with the show. So what if one dreams of being a ballerina and another has amnesia? So what if one has issues with authority? So what if her second in command questions her judgement at every turn? So what if Mother Superior herself dreams of being a tightrope walker in the circus? It’s all part of the fun. The cast is fantastic and each plays their part incredibly well.
There is a nun puppet, a trivia quiz for the audience (you get prizes!), cheesy jokes, celebrity impressions, and plenty of singing and dancing. The puppet had Nugget hiding his head under my arm as he was laughing so much he thought he would get in trouble. I myself had tears of laughter several times.
There are lots of moments that poke fun at religion. Not in a malicious way at all, but if that is something you are sensitive to, the show might not be for you. None of the jokes are mean spirited, but some are a tad irreverent and I can see where seeing Mother Superior high on glue could be offensive to some.
So…
The good: hilarious show, laugh til you cry moments, fantastic acting, audience involvement
The not great: can’t really think of any. Perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea if religion is not something you think a comedy should be based on
Do we recommend it? Not for young kids. It’s not a kids play nor is it billed as such. Nugget enjoyed it and I am confident he is not traumatized and will not turn into a juvenile delinquent- at least not because of this play. But for an evening out with your teen? Totally. For a night out of giggling with the girls or your partner? Even better! All moms deserve that, right? That is what Nunsense is perfect for. I adored it and I bet many of you would, too.
This show has been very popular and tickets are hard to come by. If you want to try, they are available at https://www.broadwayrose.org/. They have some other fun shows coming up this year, so maybe you will find some inspiration!
Adventures with Chicken and Nugget 