What do 4 monks, a nun and McGinty’s pub in Ipswich have in common?

 

During the arts festival “Pulse” at McGinty’s Irish pub was the venue for the Christian comedy theatre group “Four Monks and a Nun” on Sunday 6^th June. It was very neatly timed so that the audience could go to an evening service and then onto McGinty’s. The venue was packed with a multi-aged audience that included a bishop! The show “The 10 Commandments” has been in repertory since August 2009 and has played at Greenbelt and the Roundhouse in London.

 

The group was set up in 2006 by Yazz Fetto, who writes material for BBC “Dead Ringers” and the cult film “Freak Out” and who has appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe. He is joined by Kevin Moore, husband and wife Shaninga and Helen (Yazz’s sister) Marasha. All are Christians and although sometimes edgy, the material is never objectionable, but reflects the racial and theological diversity of British Christianity.

 

“The 10 Commandments” are 10 short sketches written by Yazz but adapted, during rehearsals, by the rest of the cast. Some of them were very funny indeed, especially the one set in Nigeria which comments of some of the more unpleasant aspects of prosperity doctrine. The Bible study commenting on “You shall bear false witness” was pure slapstick. Keeping the Sabbath holy made its point by developing the silly idea of a portable church, while honouring your father and mother had a twist in the tail.

 

Whether much of this material would be understood by non-Christians who will be outside the Christian sub-culture is questionable. But certainly for Christians this is a very funny show that comments on some of the sillier aspects of Christian life by using the Ten Commandments as a carrier. Generally very well done, although in one or two places timing could be tightened up. This is a show worth making time to go and see.

 

And who is the fourth monk? It is left up to you to wonder about that.