Review: FORGIVE ME FATHER, FOR I HAVE SINNED, Etcetera Theatre

Forgive Me, Father, For I Have Sinned by Bibi Lucille follows Father Pete who runs a small town parish and a young aspiring Priest with hidden wayward intentions as a passionate vegan, James.

Bibi Lucille writes a sharp, darkly comic new play exploring the hypocrisy of religion when it comes to the topics of sin and humanity’s violent treatment of animals. Lucille offers a deeply original lense on the conversation between religion and veganism, which we have not seen on stage before.

With a sparse set in the intimate Etcetera Theatre, transitions and blocking are effective and achieve clear changes in the audience’s imagination of the three locations: the Parish, the Priest's home, and even a farm.

A particularly comedic scene sees Father Pete, played sardonically by Conor Field, and James (Sam Bird) going to sleep in Father Pete's bedroom. Simple bedsheets and pillows are brought onto stage swiftly by the actors and a copy of 50 Shades of Grey tumbles out surprisingly and abruptly from the bedsheets to Father Pete's great embarassment.

The actors have brilliant chemistry bouncing off each other, each with their own demons and tinge of madness forming a captivating comedic duo. Whilst Father Pete offers the stern lonely older Irish Priest with a short temper, James plays the irritatingly bubbly younger aspiring Priest.

The play takes a very dark turn, which we highly recommend readers go and find out for themselves this Saturday and Sunday at Etcetera in Camden. This is a sharply written, directed and performed piece that leaves audiences with a lot of food for thought on their morality, whilst being thoroughly entertained from start to finish.

***** Five stars

Reviewed by: Viv Williams

Forgive Me, Father, For I Have Sinned plays at the Etcetera Theatre until 11 June, with further information available here.