May 16-June 8, Wade James Theatre, 950 Main St., Edmonds

The Edmonds Driftwood players couldn’t have timed Drinking Habits better. The recent papal conclave and selection of a new pope occurred just a week before the play debuted. Catholicism was fresh on everyone’s minds.

In the program Director’s note for Drinking Habits, Bryar Freed-Golden notes, “I have always loved directing farce. Their fast-paced plots are filled with delicious secrets, a host of lies, mistaken identities, and stories which inevitably involve ordinary people finding themselves in extraordinary situations. And hilarity ensues.” It perfectly describes Drinking Habits, which had the audience laughing throughout.

Set in the 1960s, the play follows two nuns at the Sisters of Perpetual Sewing convent who are secretly making wine to keep their doors open. The show begins with Sister Philamena (Juli Brown) and Sister Augusta (Somtochukwu) lamenting the lack of time to harvest grapes for their popular wine before losing them to the frost. The two had fantastic chemistry and bumbled through their growing web of lies. They have to keep their double life as vintners secret from their Mother Superior (Carol Richmond), who detests alcohol and calls it names like “Satan’s toilet water,” claiming it leads to a life of vice and sin. They enlist the groundskeeper, George (Avery Medalia), to help with the harvest.

Hot on the sisters’ tails are two reporters – and former fiancés – a driven Sally (Maleah Muriekes) and a more reluctant Paul (Maks Norr). Sally is immediately mistaken for a new nun named “Mary,” who was supposed to arrive any day. In the kerfuffle, she stumbles upon the moniker “Mary Mary.” Paul pretends to be a priest. When the real Mary shows up — Mary Catherine (Amanda Petrowski) — Mother Superior decides that she must be a spy from Rome. We learn that the convent is undersized and has been hiding its lack of nuns for years. Paranoia ensues throughout the convent that spies have been sent from Rome to shut them down. Father Chenielle (Kenneth Telesco), a priest from the local parish and former magician, fears Paul was sent to supplant him. Wine and secrets are inevitably spilled as everyone tries to preserve the convent and perhaps rekindle lost love.

The over-the-top jokes had the audience chuckling. One about Jesuits earned especially hearty laughter from the Catholics in the crowd. Character Paul had some of the best one-liners, “I never knew where nuns lived. I always thought they slept like bats.”

The set was simple and perfect for a convent. Stained glass windows and a confessional serving as a closet make the location clear. A sign above the confessional reads, “Reap what you sow, sew what you rip,” referencing the nuns’ role as seamstresses for religious garments.

Photo by Dale Sutton, (L-R) Avery Medalia (George), Juli Brown (Sister Philamena), Somtochukwu Muo (Sister Augusta)

The play’s end felt Oprah-esque: “You get a happy ending! You get a happy ending! Everybody gets a happy ending!” However, I loved it. Judging by the standing ovation, the rest of the audience did too! Playwright Tom Smith also wrote Drinking Habits 2. After enjoying this one so much, I hope we get to see the sequel next year!

Tickets are available here for $25-$28. Drinking Habits

 is 90% sold for the entire run of 15 performances, so there are still seats left to choose from. Patrons may call (425-774-9600) or email the office to get on a waitlist for sold-out performances if tickets open up due to cancellations.

Elizabeth Murray is a freelance writer thankful to call Edmonds home. When she’s not busy wrangling her two kids (and husband), you can find her playing ukulele. She can be reached at elmm22@gmail.com.