Now playing at GCP through May 29th, Nunsense II: The Second Coming 
features a first-rate cast.  Unfortunately, they can only do so much 
with a second-rate script, and the show suffers because of it.

Now, let me say right off that this is nobody's fault except the 
writer of the play, Dan Goggin.  The acting, singing, and music are 
all excellent.  But the problem is with the show itself.  It's 
essentially a rehash of the original Nunsense, with worse jokes.  
Dan Goggin would to well to consider 3 things:

1.  Nuns in themselves are not inherently funny, no matter how zany, 
so you need to add some actual comedy.
2.  Using the same bits from the original works only for an audience 
who hasn't seen the original.
3.  When you start using puns that even Erik Viker would be too proud 
to utter, it's time to seriously reconsider that career in accounting.

This play suffers from the same problem as Ghostbusters 2.  It's an 
okay piece of work on its own, but the inevitable unfavorable 
comparisons to the much-superior original will rip it to shreds.


That being said, you should still go see the play anyway, because 
even if you can't appreciate the script, you most definitely CAN 
appreciate the excellent performances given by the cast.  Some of the 
notables:

Karin Fielding in the role she was born to play, Sister Mary Amnesia, 
the ditzy, forgetful nun who's forever running into walls.  Now, for 
those of you who don't know Karin like I do, this is just her being 
herself (but only when she wants to).  She is delightful to watch on 
stage, and my major gripe is that she's didn't get enough solo songs 
to sing.  Go see her and you'll know exactly why she won the 1993 
Miss Universe Pageant.

Sarah "Lorraine" MacKay uses the role of Sister Leo to proudly show 
off the new middle name she purchased retail less than 2 months ago.  
I like it....."Lorraine".....it's a name that says, "I'm mysterious, 
I'm sexy, and if you're really lucky I might let you get into my.....
quiche."  Definitely a winner.  The best name she's had since before 
she got married and her name was Sarah Stiles, which was made into a
song by Hall & Oates back in the 80's.  Oh, and I almost forgot, she 
gives a primo performance, too.  All I can say about this girl finally 
getting to sing a song onstage by herself is, "It's about freakin' 
time."  She is the most unsung talent at GCP this side of Jenny 
Slattery.

Rhonda Wilson as Sister Mary Hubert dresses like a Catholic but sings 
like a Southern Baptist.  And she does a pretty decent Elvis 
impersonation, for a skinny black woman. (Note: For those of you too 
young to remember, Elvis was not a skinny black woman, but was in 
fact a fat white woman).

Donna Agerton as Robert Anne and Sue Addis as the Reverend Mother do 
fine jobs, as does the chorus.  And I have to mention chorus member Allison
Posner, who has so much energy onstage that they could have plugged the 
lights into her.

N^2 is ably directed by Pat Thompson.  Backstage work is handled by 
the always-sexy Kevin Kerins, and the even-more-always-sexy Cristine 
Antolak (Tip: Don't laugh at Cristine's nun outfit, or she will take 
off her headpiece thingy and whack you with it repeatedly)

So, to sum up, N^2 is a well-done rendition of a marginal play.  The 
cast does an excellent job of carrying a weak script, and though the 
songs are forgettable, they're sung very well.  Worth seeing once, at 
least, especially since you'll have some free time because none of 
you ever thought about getting Star Wars tickets for anything other 
than opening night, and by now they're probably sold out for weeks, 
so if you see it and like it and decide you want to see it again, 
that's just TOO DAMN BAD for you!!!!!  HAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!

Besides, TPM won't be so great anyway, and you'll have much more fun 
laughing at Cristine in her nun suit........:)

-john