Theater Review by Walter Murphy . . .
Oh Jesus, what has happened to this woman? Well, she did go to Catholic school.. So there’s that.
Written and performed by Kelly McCaughan, Catholic Guilt presents her journey through Catholic school and what she learned there. It is incredibly irreverent, ribald, messy, gross, and hysterically funny.
While comically constructing her case that Catholicism is a pretty weird religion, especially for girls/women, she embraces excess and asks the audience to join her in her journey—which they do willingly. It’s a fun ride.
McCaughan makes an unbridled commitment to entertain and shock the audience. Case in point, she bravely unveils childhood photos from second grade through high school. She takes liberties with bread and wine. She loses her virginity while displaying church symbols in a most intimate way. She is deeply offensive in a sexy, coquettish way. It is quite the performance.
You don’t have to be Catholic to appreciate the humor. I had forgotten many of the church oddities from my own upbringing: e.g., first communion-specific gifts and the “get out of jail” card that confession provides. Personally, for all the sins I committed as a child, I was not an alter boy, but my penance was never anything more severe than, say, three “Our Fathers” and three “Hail Marys.” Seems pretty lenient, Father.
Any newcomer to the intricacies of Catholic education/instruction as presented in the performance may question whether they are, in fact, church doctrine. Shockingly, they are. To her credit, McCaughan cites scripture that validates numerous outlandish dictums addressing, among others, masturbation, homosexuality, or infidelity. Polling the audience’s adherence to the Ten Commandments was a comic triumph of self-reflection and laughs.
McCaughan seizes on the mystery that is “transubstantiation” to act out an absurd, ribald, and irreverent dream sequence. Transubstantiation is the belief that bread and wine, during communion, change into the body and blood of Christ. One might ask . . . how? Building on the idea that Christ is within all true Catholics, and they are created in his image and likeness, allows McCaughan to fall hard for hot Jesus, who disturbingly and comically looks a lot like McCaughan herself. She brilliantly spoofs church belief, much to her giddy delight. “Hot Jesus” as a surfer, dude.
Although a solo performance, there is excellent use of media, voiceovers of inner thoughts, and graphics, especially during the homage to hot Jesus. Kudos to techs AJ Bloomfield, Chris Carcione, Daniel Ison, James Jackson, and Matt Keppler. Director Kyle Metzger is wise to allow the performance a “go for it!” ethos.
Catholic Guilt. Through November 16 at the Soho Playhouse (15 Vandam Street, between Sixth Avenue and Varick) as part of The International Fringe Encore Comedy Series. 60 minutes, no intermission. www.sohoplayhouse.com
Cover Photo: Bob Sweeney
