“Blessed are the hags and the harlots. For they shall be celebrated in this show.”
A Bruntwood Prize 2022 nominee, this dark comedic Tale of Two Marys packs up a punch for all feminist and Life Of Brian enthusiasts out there in just under an hour.
The Pinot Princess follows Irish actress Pamela Flanagan in her double portrayal of unruly, gender-tormented Marys. First as Pinot, a punk Virgin Mary and the lead character in a rebellious-soon-to-be-viral-hopefully-Vatican-banned production on Jesus’ legendary mum. Second as modern Mary, the catholic actress who portrays the horny, foul-mouthed heroine, and who is convinced she will go to hell for it.
Opposite Mary is, of course, her co-star Joseph. Energetically portrayed by Neal Craig in a whirlwind of colourful role-playing, Joe offers Monty Pythonesque comic relief in the midst of her ongoing identity crises.
Now, one would love to go over the plot – it is quite a wild, witty ride. However, half the fun of the show is seeing how far the author Lorraine Mullaney will go in this provocative revisiting of the Visited Virgin. So I say let this work keep its mysterious ways…
With some all-round solid acting and clever staging, this bold little nugget offers a lot of poignant commentary on clickbait tokenism and antagonistic feminism. If the show forgoes emotional depth for the Maries’ deep-rooted anguish, the non-stop titillating jokes will keep you right where you need to be. Shaking your head and laughing.
If you’re looking for a light-hearted, intelligent night out, look no further.
The Pinot Princess is produced by Unclouded Moon Productions, an emerging theatre company led by London Irish women.
Playing until 14th April, https://www.omnibus-clapham.org/pinot-princess/
Reviewer: Klervi Gavet
Reviewed: 5th April 2024
North West End UK Rating:
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