Incorruptible

Incorruptible is Black Adder meets The Life of Brian and then some.

Set in 1250 AD in the run-down monastery of Priseaux, located in France, the play centres on a group of monks whose holy relic, Saint Foy, is failing to answer prayers, let alone produce miracles. So, in order to boost their ‘good works’ they decide to rob graves, boil down the bones and sell them as holy relics to other orders. This goes well until one of the monks decides to produce an ‘incorruptible’ (a saint whose body has not decayed) to impress the Pope.

Sounds macabre I know, but it isn’t. Incorruptible treads the delicate line between dark comedy and farce and does it extremely well, thanks to the direction of Lesley Reed*, the marvellous set, props, costumes and a very talented cast.

Reed has certainly done her research. The costumes and music (adapted by Kim Orchard from original music from 1100 to 1500AD) hit the mark as does the pace of the play, which never lets up. Her direction takes the comedy just far enough - any further and it would have descended into broad farce.

Unlike many comedies, Incorruptible launches straight into the laughs and this is due in a large degree to the actors who portray the band of monks and the others who visit their monastery.

Andrew Clark’s Brother Martin is a masterpiece of timing. He is sly, wheedling and conniving. He nails every laugh line and is the glue that holds the story together. Unlike some of the other monks, he has a realistic view of life and is not afraid to bend the rules to achieve the order’s charter.

Peter Davies’ Charles is the opposite to Brother Martin, torn between wanting to do good works and the morality of robbing graves and deceiving others. Charles is the bridge between the religious and the outside world and Davies nails the role with a balance of humour and pathos.

Matthew Chapman’s Brother Olf is the slow-witted monk of the order; slow witted, but lovable. His revelation when finding that his candles have no wicks after searching all day for them is hysterical.

Josh van’t Padje’s Brother Felix is a lisping, love-struck innocent torn between his religious duty and love. He is naivety personified and consequently often torn between his duty as a monk and his feelings as a man. Van’t Padje makes this character his own, complete with an amazing centre-part hairstyle.

There are, of course, visitors to the monastery. Maxine Grubel’s peasant woman is a salute to Brian’s mother from the Life of Brian. She is blunt, coarse and self-serving. Her attempts to pray at the start of the play are wonderfully funny.

Ashley Penny as Marie is every inch her daughter. A ‘singer-dancer’, she travels with a minstrel and briefly becomes the ‘incorruptible’. She is a delight, particularly her dance number with the minstrel.

Andy Steuart’s minstrel, Jack, is the ultimate manipulator. He manages this until he is caught out by the brothers and undergoes somewhat of a transformation which I will not reveal in this review. A highlight of Steuart’s performance is the minstrel’s failed attempts at entertaining the monks.

Finally, Agatha, Charles’ fiery sister. Head of her own order, she takes no prisoners. Lindy Le Cornu, well known to Adelaide audiences, sails on stage like the Queen Mary and commands her scenes. She proves there is no such thing as a small part.

I must admit, initially I thought this play might offend the religious beliefs of some audience members. I needn’t have worried. Incorruptible is so tongue in cheek that you just have to laugh.

Incorruptible is a great way to spend a cold night out in a warm, welcoming theatre while enjoying a highly entertaining play.

Barry Hill

*Lesley Reed reviews for Stage Whispers.