North West

Nuns of Fury! – Seven Oaks Pub

What happens when you combine the criminal-catching of Charlie’s Angels with beloved women of the cloth of Sister Act? Rocket Whip’s Nuns of Fury offers a unique look into the world of a crime-fighting, habit wearing, God-backed group who are on a mission to steal from the rich and give to the poor. This comedic musical, presented with blessings and favour from up above, is a great addition to this year’s Greater Manchester Fringe line-up.

This show’s holy word comes from writer and co-director Liv Burton. Throughout the one-act musical, the plot falls into common tropes expected from a crime genre parody; a rag-tag-team of crime fighters, a cocky duo of criminals and over-exaggerated kung-fu fighting. Where this show differs and excels is when it breaks the fourth wall with a wink and a nod to the audience. Whether it be through throwbacks to previous scenes of the show, or a well utilised plethora of sound effects, audiences responded particularly well when they felt they were in on the joke and knew the show was not taking itself too seriously.

As previously mentioned, the story can feel slightly predictable and some plot points feel purely used to bulk out this simple story. This is evident as the story concludes, where story elements become convoluted, with some characters fates not making much sense. But the grace earned by the cast throughout, paired with the slapstick comedy styling, means you almost forgive this minor sin.

The minimal cast engage with the audience well, I was particularly impressed during the group dance numbers, choreographed by Molly Hirst who also stars as the unexpectedly pregnant Sister Julian. Stand outs in the show came from Emily Millington who commanded the stage as Mother Superior, especially through her pitch-perfect vocals, and Chris Williams as the scene-stealing Father Q. Both had great comedic timing and leaned in well to the over exaggerated satire of the piece. Adam Gardiner also gave a solid performance as the unreliable crook Benny, able to refrain from making his character feel too much like a typical pantomime villain.

Overall, Nuns of Fury has some laugh out loud moments and noteworthy performances from an eager cast, both these will treat the show well as it prepares for a debut visit to the Edinburgh Fringe. However, a tightening of the story and leaning into the inside-joke comedy it does best will help this show feel more heavenly.

Reviewer: Harry Alty

Reviewed: 28th July 2025

North West End UK Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Harry Alty

Recent Posts

The Horse of Jenin – Bush Theatre

Alaa Shehada’s one man show about growing up in Jenin is a funny and powerful…

13 hours ago

The Christmas Thing – Seven Dials Playhouse

Tom Clarkson and Owen Visser have returned with their anarchic Christmas show, The Christmas Thing.…

13 hours ago

Dick Whittington – St Helens Theatre Royal

It’s December and that can only mean one thing: it’s almost Christmas—well, two things, because…

14 hours ago

Broke and Fabulous in the 21st Century – Etcetera Theatre

How do you live a life as beautiful as the one that’s in your head?…

14 hours ago

Oliver Twist – Hull Truck Theatre

Published as a serial between 1836 and 1839, Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist has undergone a…

14 hours ago

Miss Saigon – Leeds Grand

When I was a student in London I saw all the big musicals, but for…

15 hours ago