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Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Nun means fun in latest production
The Nunsense cast perform a preview show at the MLT Community Theatre in Tapanui last week. Photo: Ella Scott-Fleming Get ready for naughty, tap-dancing nuns as the West Otago Theatrical Society's latest production premieres this week, with back-to-back musical numbers and convent humour in between. Nunsense: The MEGA Musical Version runs until June 28, and The Ensign caught a preview showing last week. The story begins when the lead nuns discover their chef has accidentally poisoned the other 52 residents of their convent with a tainted vichyssoise. The nuns, and one priest, then scramble to come up with the funds for the burials and a musical fundraiser with hilarity ensues. The song-and-dance numbers showcase the talents of the amateur cast with several standout performances. As Sister Hubert, second in-charge to Helen Schmidt's Mother Superior, Kim McKechie shows off her vocal talents as well as comedic timing. Ms McKechie said she was quite surprised to be playing the role, but enjoyed exploring her character's cheeky side. "She's not the nun-iest of nuns, that one, she's a little bit boisterous at times," she said. The show features some crowd interaction, particularly during the intermission, where Ms McKechie kept the audience entertained. "So often there's that barrier with the lights, and you're on the other side and they're on that side," she said. "It really makes it feel like the nuns are really out there putting on a show for the community," she said. Another standout was Olivia Butler, who plays the Brooklyn-born Sister Robert Anne, and whose powerful voice shone through during the musical numbers. Ms Butler caught the theatre bug 14 years ago when she was 11, first playing a munchkin for the society's production of The Wizard of Oz. She has been performing with the society ever since and has also entered the Milton A&P Show's talent competition with her singing. In between numbers, the show boasts convent-based gags and frisky humour, poking light-hearted fun at the institution. "God doesn't love ugly," Sister Hubert says at one point. Ms Schmidt's Irish accent and grumpy act as Mother Superior was very convincing as well as Taitum Shawe's lead role as Sister Amnesia. This is Ms Shawe's second role with the society and she said she was grateful for the direction team for giving her the chance. Not being too fond of the spotlight in the past, some of Ms Shawe's shyness lends itself to the airy role of the the aptly named Sister Amnesia. Tickets for the show are available online at iTicket or at Ideal Print in Tapanui.
Daily Mirror
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Sue Cleaver's real reason for leaving Corrie as Eileen exits after 25 years
Sue Cleaver's final scenes as Eileen Grimshaw will air during tonight's Coronation Street - but why did the actress decide to leave after 25 years? It's set to be an emotional night in Coronation Street tonight as Eileen Grimshaw (Sue Cleaver) waves goodbye to Weatherfield after 25 years. It was previously revealed that the star would be leaving alongside her on screen son, Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas) who made his return upon Sue's request. Sue recently confessed in an interview that she'd called close friend Ryan, begging him to come back for her final storyline - an offer he could not refuse. In January, Sue announced that she'd be leaving the soap after playing Eileen Grimshaw for 25 years - expressing why she felt now was the time to say goodbye. "I've had 25 privileged years of working on Coronation Street," Sue said in a statement shared with the media. Explaining the reasoning behind her departure, the star went on to say: "The door is still firmly open but as I reached my 60th year, I decided it was time to embrace change, look for new adventures and live fearlessly." Despite saying she "adored" her time on the show, she realised it was time to take on new projects. During her time on Coronation Street, Sue had embarked on a number of projects outside of the show. Before announcing her exit, she had an extended period of leave from the show to take part in the theatre production of Sister Act as as Mother Superior. In 2024, she became a panellist on ITV daytime chat show, Loose Women. Sue will be dearly missed by her Corrie colleagues, as executive producer Kate Brooks said in a statement: "We're sad to bid farewell to the wonderful Sue Cleaver. Over the past twenty five years, Eileen Grimshaw has been at the heart of some of the most memorable and iconic Corrie storylines, and her onscreen rivalry with Gail Platt (Helen Worth) will undoubtedly go down in Corrie folklore. "There's certainly no one quite like Eileen, and her character will be hugely missed on the Cobbles. We wish Sue all the very best as she embarks on her next exciting chapter." Ahead of her big exit airing on ITV - eager fans who watched the episode on ITVX have taken to X, formerly known as Twitter to express their thoughts on the exit. One emotional fan penned: "Wow todays episode of Corrie had me happy crying what an ending for an iconic character. I'm gonna miss Eileen Grimshaw so much. Thank you Sue Cleaver for 25 incredible years."
The Guardian
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Baby in the Basket review – devilish convent horror is low-budget nun fun
This cheap-as-chips British horror concerning demented nuns is risible in the extreme, but there's something about its willingness to commit to the bit that's sort of admirable. Plus, there's a faintly amusing retro vibe that harks back not just to low-budget 1970s horror of yore, but also to the so-called 'quota quickies' from the 1930s onwards, British film fare made by the yard. Set during the second world war on an island off the coast of Scotland, the film takes place almost entirely within the confines of a nunnery called St Augustine's. That said, there's an opening sequence where a nun is pursued by a wolf outside, a beast so happy to be playing with the actor his tail is up and wagging the whole time – he looks about as menacing as a cockapoo. She manages to escape being licked to death and gets inside where we meet the other players. Wafty Mother Superior (Maryam d'Abo) seems a couple beads short of a full rosary, which also goes for several of the fervent sisters: devout Valerie (Elle O'Hara), intense Agnes (Amber Doig-Thorne), and so on. The most relatable may be Eleanor (Michaela Longden), the least devout of the lot, and prone to lapses in sobriety. There are also two men employed as caretakers: Amos (Paul Barber from The Full Monty) and a younger former soldier, Daniel (Nathan Shepka, who is also one the film's co-directors as well as co-writer), who is hot for all the comely nunfolk. When a mysterious infant boy is dropped off at the nunnery's door, all hell breaks loose. Well, not quite hell; more like low-level demonic possession, as nun after nun starts hearing the voice of the devil telling them to take care of his kid and if they won't do that, kill themselves instead. Things soon get quite fractious, and before long there's a lot of bloody nun-on-nun violence, at one climactic point observed by two bored looking cherubim looking on from a painting. A little more psychological ambiguity might have elevated proceedings, but Shepka and co-director Andy Crane opt for full horror, with an evil horned puppet demon baby in the last act that's just silly, but in a sort of fun way. The Baby in the Basket is on digital platforms from 17 February.
