BWW Reviews: The Arden Theatre Presents an Entertaining INCORRUPTIBLE

The Arden Theatre closes the 2013/14 season with a Michael Hollinger play, INCORRUPTIBLE. This play is a dark comedy, which is set in the dark ages, about 1250 A.D. According to the Arden Theatre Hollinger asks the burning question in this play, "What happens when faith alone can't pay the bills?" INCORRUPTIBLE has a balance of verbal and physical comedy as well as asks the audience to reflect on blind faith.

INCORRUPTIBLE is the seventh of Hollinger's full length plays that the Arden has produced, in addition, the play premiered eighteen years ago at the Arden Theatre. According to the Arden's Artistic Director, Terrence J. Nolan, "In the eighteen years since we premiered INCORRUPTIBLE . . . not only have our audiences grown, but so many people who saw that production have asked us to do it again." Personally, I am grateful the Arden decided to do INCORRUPTIBLE again, it is full of humor, strong performances, and a brilliantly written script.

Matthew Decker directs the current cast of INCORRURTIPBLE, and I cannot imagine a better cast for this show. Mary Martello plays the Peasant Woman from the village, and her performance is very Monty Python-esque. She is perfect for the role, which is full of dry humor, and she has audiences laughing throughout the show. Paul L. Nolan plays Charles, the Abbott, and Ian Merrill Peakes, Sam Sherburne, and Josh Carpenter are the fellow Monks. These actors are all outstanding, and are strong when they all appear together, as well as when they appear individually. This fine group of actors is perfectly cast in the roles as the Monks. Their shenanigans throughout the show are hilarious. Michael Doherty plays Jack, a minstrel. I have seen Doherty in a few productions over the last few years, and his performances are always full of incredible energy. His performance in INCORRUPTIBLE is no exception. Doherty will have audiences laughing at his antics. Playing Jack's sort of wife, Marie, is Alex Keiper. Keiper is amusing from the beginning of the show until the end, and she is the unexpected voice of sanity in this play. Rounding out this fabulous cast is Marcia Saunders who plays Agatha, the Abbess. Saunders is a big presence on stage and she bursts onto the stage in the second act with vigor and bravado.

This entire cast and script work so beautifully together to make this a play you should not miss if you wish to start your summer with a grin. INCORRUPTIBLE runs at the Arden Theatre through June 22, 2014. For more information and tickets visit the Arden's website at www.ardentheatre.org or call their box office at 215-922-1122.

Photo Credit: Mark Garvin