Nunsense
At Civic Light Opera
By Dan Larsen, for SeattleInsider.com
Originally published by Cox Interactive Media

Hot on the heels of A Contemporary Theatre's long-running catholicism comedy "Late Nite Catechism" -- although only for a short time -- comes the Civic Light Opera's own goofy spin on everyone's favorite butt of penguin jokes (this side of the Blues Brothers' penguin, at least).

Though it's hard to say which is more irreverent, Nunsense or Late Nite Catechism, the new kid on the Seattle block has the edge in the screwball comedy of errors department. The plot goes something along these lines:

The Little Sisters of Lake City find themselves in a sticky situation after a bad batch is vichyssoise soup leaves a nunnery full of sisters on a fast track to the big house upstairs. For the seventeen survivors, who happened to be out playing bingo on the night the stiff-creating starter was served, the cadaver-heavy conundrum is only having enough cash to bury 48 of the 52 of the late ladies. So with a freezer full of penguins, the sisters set out to raise enough funeral funds before the health inspector comes a-knocking.

Blindingly original stuff this isn't -- the depths of this pool of humor have already been well plumbed by Catechism, and the view of nuns is dated for comic effect -- but naughty one-liners, ghoulish guffaws and energetic chorus lines are belted with such gusto that you soon forget. After an evening of nunnery-based shenanigans, finding out that Nunsense has actually been running Off-Broadway and through various other theatre circuits for over ten years comes as no surprise.

Nunsense continues it's morbidly mirthful run in Seattle through March 4. $16 - $20 are available by calling (206) 363 2809.

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