EDINBURGH 2023: Review: WE'LL HAVE NUN OF IT, Underbelly Cowgate

Derry Girls meets Spring Awakening in this absolute triumph of new musical theatre writing. Performed by a talented young cast, this is a show that deserves a very long life.

We’ll Have Nun Of It follows a year in the life of four close friends at an Irish Catholic boarding school in the 1960s. Each of the girls has their own backstory and personality, very quickly distinctive, and the dynamics between each of them are fun to watch play out. There’s Bernie (Heather Gourdie), whose father has stopped writing to her and is left vulnerable at school, Caragh (Michaela Murphy), determined to leave her family’s farm and oozing main character energy, quiet Mary (Juliette Artigala) who’s questioning her faith, and bold Eliza (Angel Lema) tempted by the progression of the feminist movement. 

This is a fully integrated actor-muso production, with the cast members each playing multiple instruments. The performances are all fantastic - Lema’s smooth belt and Artigula’s soulful tone are particular standouts among a very strong vocal ensemble. The moments of harmony are powerful, creating a real wall of sound from only four or five voices.

The songs, written by Finola Southgate are gorgeous, darting between folk, musical theatre, and pop/rock styles elegantly. Honor Halford-MacLeod’s orchestrations really ebb and flow, using the cast’s musical talents to their full potential. The score is reminiscent of shows like Spring Awakening, Hadestown, and Once, while keeping its own individuality.

For a show that comes in at roughly one hour, We’ll Have Nun Of It takes us on quite a journey, touching on a lot of very heavy topics while maintaining a light touch. The book and acting aren’t quite perfect, as the show can feel a little directionless as it begins, but the overall impact and the quality of the music make up for this. Especially touching is the tender depiction of queerness, subtle but realistic (and very cute).

Director Rosie Dart does a great job at keeping this show feeling alive. In the wrong hands it could have become clunky, with lots of instruments and props cluttering up the stage and obscuring the story. Instead, Dart imbues it with creativity, incorporating the instruments with thought and an eye for detail.

Perhaps the greatest testament to We’ll Have Nun Of It is its audience reaction - the show gained rapturous applause and a standing ovation and echoes of ‘Wasn’t that so good?!’ could be heard echoing down the narrow Underbelly stairs. While all of the cast and creatives individually are doing really good work, the magic really comes from the way it all comes together and the passion that has clearly gone into this show. It may not be the most original production, but there's something special about it. 

The Fringe of course has a reputation for launching new musicals, with SIX being its most famous success. We’ll Have Nun of It deserves some of that success - I can see it having a very successful West End/Off West End run or tour in the not too distant future.

We'll Have Nun of It runs at Underbelly Cowgate until 27 August

Image Credit: Pamela Raith

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