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Nunsensations!
The Nunsense Vegas Revue
Written & Directed by Dan Goggin
At Drury Lane Water Tower Place Theatre
175 E. Chestnut
Chicago, IL
Call 312-642-2000, tickets $35 - $48
Wednesdays at 1:30 & 7:30 PM
Thursdays at 7:30 PM
Fridays at 8 PM
Saturdays at 2:30 & 8 PM
Sundays at 2:30 & 7 PM
Running time 100 minutes with intermission
Through March 5, 2006
Nunsensations! unfolds as a cute, playful touring revue
Dan Goggin has made a career out of his six Nunsense musical revues. His latest, Nunsensations Vegas Revue, follows the proven formula having the nuns from Hoboken doing their act in Vegas to secure a $10,000 pledge from a parishioner. We see the sisters do a cute, playful tribute and light spook of Vegas revues and old-time vaudeville musical acts. Drury Lane Water Tower Place Theatre’ s pleasant show consists of the world premiere cast now touring the USA. I liked this show as safe, slick and a bite hooky entertainment. Take your grandmother, the kids and your neighbors since this palatable revue is a sure winner.
What makes this show work is the obvious Vegas motif led by the catchy title tune “Life Is A Game of Chance,” a 30’s style Broadway shuffle dance tune. Vegas show girl references abound with the T & A number sanitized to mean “Talent & Attitude.” We hear Borscht Belt ‘shtick’ corny old-time jokes that renders a yelp from audiences. With plenty of audience involvement and interaction, I thought I was in Branson.
The musical styles give reference to all true audience favorites such as a tango, a hat & cane vaudeville dance tune and a 50’s doo woop song. A burlesque dance number with the nuns in full Vegas type featured head dress worked as well as the “Cirque Du Blimp” parody of circus show that play Vegas.
There is a lovely ballad “I Left Him There” and an Avenue Q puppet spoof and a Peggy Lee rip done in a pure Broadway belter fashion. A ringing R & B number and a Village People disco number round out the revue.
Deborah Del Mastro, Bambi Jones, Carrie Keskinen, Bonnie Lee and Jeanne Tinker were polished and adequate but not outstanding. In spring, Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre is going to do this same show with local Chicago talent. One wonders why they didn’t do that now? We have enough talent here to give this show a tad more energy which it needs. This is a serviceable show that is a nice night out.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago
January 14, 2006
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