Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help
The program tells you to picture the early 1970s “in a city very much like Seattle, or Boston, or Milwaukee or Cincinnati or….”
I can’t even come close to that, since in the ‘70s I was living on my own and working at a school in Rome, far from home in San Diego.
But let that be. Katie Forgette’s “Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help” takes place in and around the kitchen of mom Jo O’Shea (Erin Noel Grennan), a devout Catholic housewife who pretty much just does the mom thing.
Daughter Linda (Samantha Gorjanc) does stand-up and tells much of the story of this Catholic family. She is 19 and on the way to graduate school, but meantime does stand-up in this crazy family as she tells the story. She is interested in the fledgling women’s movement.
Another family member is Linda’s sister Becky (Abbi Hoffpauir), who at 13 has a fondness for trench coats and (apparently) Philip Marlowe.
There’s a whole long bit about menstruation (because of Becky) that goes on rather too long for my taste, but it’s amusing.
The person who really gets the laughs is the sardonic Aunt Terri (Shana Wride). She makes the show, in my opinion.
Then there’s dad Mike O’Shea (Tom Dugan, who also plays two other roles). Mike seems to live upstairs, but he sure can talk loud. He also plays the priest Father Lovett and does a hilarious stint as “Betty Heckenbach”), apparently just here for looks and laughs. Grandma (unlisted and unseen) also seems to live upstairs.
The drama arises from an illicit recording made by Becky and heard by Dugan as the priest Father Peter (get it?)
In the second act, things get more serious as conflicts come to a head, especially between Aunt Terri and Father Peter (also Dugan).
It’s a busy script that goes by in a huge hurry. You may get lost a time or two (I did), but the point seems to be comedy, not plot, and much of what happens is just plain funny. Bravo to director Jenny Sullivan for keeping it all together.
Kudos also to Elisa Benzoni for the just-right costumes and Marty Burnett, whose set makes the show look right for the ‘70s.
This is almost unusual play. If you’re in the mood for something different, you might try this one.
The details
“Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help" plays through November 24, 2024 at North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive in Solana Beach.
Shows Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. Added matinee Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 2 p.m.
Tickets: (858) 481-1055 or boxoffice.northcoastrep.org