Fringe review: Full Of Grace
Observational bits about Catholic sermons propel this comedic slice of pulpit fiction. ★★★
Full Of Grace sets its tone with immediate clarity. This situational sitcom unfolds during a church service, taking the familiar rituals of worship and gleefully tipping them sideways. Think slapstick meets the priesthood: part shared religious experience, part mischievous sermon.
At its best, the show feels like The Book Of Mormon wandered into a Catholic mass and brought a rubber chicken with it. The performance leans into the idea of a religious clown, delivering a style of slapstick that feels like Mr Bean suddenly deciding to take up ministry. The result is a playful, slightly absurd exploration of religious ritual, filled with visual gags and familiar church references. One of the biggest laughs arrives when an unexpectedly familiar 90s dance suddenly finds its way into the service as a piece of ‘liturgical choreography’, a moment that lands squarely in laugh out loud territory. Much of the humour draws on shared childhood memories of Sunday services: the rhythms, the awkwardness, and the tiny rebellions that happen in pews. For anyone raised in that world, the jokes land with a knowing wink. You may even find yourself thinking that if church had looked anything like this growing up, Sunday mornings might have been far more bearable.
That said, the show’s success is closely tied to that shared experience. Without some familiarity with church culture, parts of the humour risk drifting past rather than landing squarely. On a quieter crowd, you can almost feel the show testing the room, waiting for those collective memories to spark. Many moments land well but a few sequences linger a beat or two longer than they should, slightly softening the comic momentum.
Still, Full Of Grace has foundations that could easily build into a real showstopper. As it stands, it’s an entertaining and cheeky exploration of church culture that delivers plenty of laughs even if it occasionally takes the scenic route getting there.
Full Of Grace is playing at the Chapel at the Courtyard of Curiosities at the Migration Museum from March 5 – March 21
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