Proving humour can be found almost anywhere, the curtain is about to rise in Bragg Creek on a comedic play set in a convent.
“Drinking Habits” is a farce featuring a pair of entrepreneurial nuns and two undercover journalists who want to expose their questionable business dealings.
The show was written about a decade ago by American playwright Tom Smith and runs Thursday through Sunday October 20 – 23 at Bragg Creek Community Centre. Filling one of the primary roles in the Bragg Arts Theatre Society production is Isabel McNab.
“She’s a very practical woman to the extent she is quite prepared to commit small sins to support the convent, ” the actress said of her Sister Augusta character.
In the play, the fictitious nun has a cohort within the walls of the financially troubled Sisters of Perpetual Sewing and together they’re taking unusual steps to try and save their home.
“Sister Augusta and Sister Philamena (Cathy Cox) expressly against orders, have been brewing wine in order to support the convent,” McNab said. “They get in a tangle of lies and evasions in order to have it continue so the convent won’t fold.”
The mother superior (Kathy Wilson) is unaware of her subordinate’s wine business. McNab explained it falls heavily on her character’s shoulders to keep it that way.
“Sister Philamena can’t lie so sister Augusta makes up for that deficit,” she said.
Once newspaper reporters and former fiancés Paul (Johnny Scott) and Sally (Karin Atkinson) show up disguised as a priest and nun looking to expose the truth, the pace of “Drinking Habits” really picks up.
“There is a lot of characters coming in and out,” director Jo Ann Ayotte explained. “A lot of entries and exits and little vignettes onstage and lots of secrecy.”
The eight-person cast of “Drinking Habits” features a collection of actors from Bragg Creek, Cochrane and Calgary. The director explained why she slotted a pair of her performers into their particular roles.
“John is really tall,” Ayotte said of Scott as the male reporter, “He is probably six-foot-four and Karin (as the female journalist) is a teeny-weeny little thing. I went that route to provide an additional level of comedy. Paul is a meek and mild person who is hopelessly in love with Sally but Sally is after the big prize. She wants a front-page story so she’s aggressive and in your face. The fact that she is so little and he is so big added to the comedy.”
McNab reported there is tangible unity within the group of actors, which makes the production work.
“It’s a very congenial and centred cast,” she said. “Everyone has contributed extremely well and focused hard on their characters to create the play.”
“Drinking Habits” runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Bragg Creek Community Centre. Matinee performances of the family friendly show go Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 each for adults and $12 for seniors and students. They are available at the Best Little Word House bookshop in Bragg Creek and at the door.
