“Morality! Damn all morality! Damn! Damn! Damn!”

Margery Kempe thinks she is a remarkable woman. The rest of the world doesn’t quite see it that way.

The Saintliness of Margery Kempe follows the true-life misadventures of the famed English woman of the 14th Century. She begins her career by throwing her lot in with the Devil and buying a brewery. When this doesn’t work out, she decides to become a saint instead, although she has none of the qualifications for the job!

The legendary Austin Pendleton directs this comical and amazingly timely play. The creative team includes playwright and scenic designer John Wulp, lighting designers Jennifer Tipton and Matthew Richards, costume designer Barbara Bell, with original music and sound design by Ryan Rumery. Andrus Nichols, who starred in Bedlam’s Sense & Sensibility and earned raves for her portrayal in the title role of Bedlam’s acclaimed production of Saint Joan, takes on the role of the less-than-saintly Margery Kempe.

In the opening scene of the revival of John Wulp’s The Saintliness of Margery Kempe at The Duke on 42nd Street, Andrus Nichols comes barreling on stage in a red dress as the title character declaring, “Morality! Damn all Morality! Damn! Damn! Damn!” Discontented with the status quo of her station as a woman in the 14th century and ready for adventures, spiritual or otherwise, Margery Kempe, played with spunk and verve by the talented Ms. Nichols (Bedlam’s Sense and Sensibility and Saint Joan) is unswerving in her quest for meaning and fulfillment. Known as a Christian mystic, Kempe chronicled the story of her life via dictation (she was illiterate) in what is thought to be the first English language autobiography. Domestic docility was not a part of this woman’s DNA. Bearing children (Kempe had fourteen) and being married did not give her a sense of purpose; neither did running a brewery. It was only in her seeking a deeper intimacy with Christ that Kempe found what she was looking for. Embracing her visions and sensorial hallucinations, she often defied the patriarchal traditions of the church, where women were prohibited from preaching or teaching and commanded to be submissive. …Read more