Nuncrackers

(Ritter + McClanahan)(nuns) = BRILLIANT FUN!!!

Check this one out if you have a chance. You won't be disappointed.

One of my all time favorite Christmas musicals. Stand out song is "Here We Come a-Waffling!"

I bought this because my son was going to audition for it.

It was unwatchable.

While Nunsense had a plot to carry it forward, and a reason to put on a variety show (needed to raise money for the last 4 burials) this had none of that.

The highlight was the "Sister Julia" cooking segment, but I have seen it done before and better.

I didn't laugh through the entire show.

The jokes (such as they were) were telegraphed (i.e. Wassaling/waffling).

Halfway through we started to use the FF feature of the DVD player.

The funniest lines were references to elements of the plot of "Nunsense" which I wish I bought instead.

"Nuncrackers" is the apparent fourth production by Dan Goggin of filmed stage shows of the "Nunsense" series. The first three were staged films for TV, but this fourth one is just a video production for independent sale. While it has a couple of the original cast members returning, it has several new characters. The setting for this one is a Christmas theme, with various skits. Actor John Ritter is the guest announcer for a couple of those.

The setting is supposed to be the basement of the convent of the Little Sisters of Hoboken. They call it the studio of WCON-TV for the convent basement. The audience consists of people, mostly seniors, sitting in chairs around the large floor area that serves as the stage, with some Christmas themed backdrops. The returning cast as Rue McClanahan as the Mother Superior Sister Mary Regina, and Semina De Laurentis as Sister Mary Paul, Amnesia in the original "Nunsense." All the rest are new performers in a couple of the original roles, but also new roles. Richard Long plays Father Virgil. He's a character introduced in the third show, The Jamboree, in Nashville, Tenn.

The music isn't even as good as in any of the previous shows, and the comedy hits a low. One long scene has the priest, Father Virgil in drag as a nun, Sister Julia Child. He/she makes a fruit cake, constantly sampling the rum, until he's drunk and not at all funny. Another has three of the cast in costumes of kings over their habits. I think Mr. Goggin long ago ran out of ideas for humor.

This video was actually recorded at the Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University. That's a private Jesuit university in Fairfield, Conn. The copyright for this video is 2001 by Nuntel, Inc. Distribution of the video is by White Star, 195 Highway 36, West Long Branch, NJ 07764.