SIT OR KNEEL
The Other Palace
★★★★
“Nation-Dixon is a subversive writer and astute character actor”
Margot is not your average vicar. But then again, that begs the question – who is? Stage and screen have tended to support that there is no such thing anyway judging by – among many others – Andrew Scott’s ‘Hot Priest’ in “Fleabag”, The Simpsons’ ‘Reverend Lovejoy’ and of course ‘Father Ted’. But Margot is less average than most. Being female, she represents just twenty-five percent of women clergy within the Church of England. A point that Mimi Nation-Dixon makes early on in her quirky and punchy one-woman show, “Sit or Kneel”. It is only fairly recently in fact (1994) that the first woman was ordained – a landmark that Richard Curtis was quick to take advantage of, for comic potential, in “The Vicar of Dibley”.
Nation-Dixon’s show has taken all of these influences on board, but with added bite and a more urgent sense of authenticity. A Master’s in Theology, she originally balked at comparisons to ‘Fleabag’ and ‘The Vicar of Dibley’ but has grown to acknowledge and be flattered by the similarities (who wouldn’t be?). Nation-Dixon digs deeper, focusing not so much on her gender as her sexuality. Yes, Margot is a female vicar, but she takes on inherently and traditionally masculine traits that she satirises to great comic effect (‘being a vicar used to be a great pick-up line…’). Margot cannot keep her lustful thoughts at bay whilst dishing out her sermons from the pulpit, and double-entendres fly like church confetti. There is also the added pun in the title of the play (which Margot makes somewhat explicit) that can also refer to the sitting or kneeling position during certain sexual acts (google it yourself… I’m not going to tarnish my own internet history).
But it isn’t all about sex. It is a by-product of a very human story. Nation-Dixon fleshes Margot’s character out, and adds some. We get to know many of her congregation. The eccentrics that frustrate, bemuse and amuse her. Sometimes they are voices in her head, sometimes they are us, and sometimes she slips into the character. The transitions could be slicker, but the essence is spot on. A slightly uncomfortable bit of audience participation stalls the momentum briefly, but she is soon back on track. She flirts with, rather than attacks tradition, which has a more powerful effect.
Nation-Dixon is a subversive writer and astute character actor. Slightly hyper and over emotional at times, she is in danger of overplaying the humour. But her charm is infectious, and we are also slightly taken aback at the sadness that eventually breaks through. A poignancy heightened by her choice of soundtrack, that includes hymns, requiems and choral laments alongside the likes of Harry Styles and Céline Dion. The mood fluctuates wildly, and the closing moments of the show are a touch ambiguous, leaving the audience momentarily unsure whether to start the applause or not. But when it does start there is no ambiguity in its appreciation.
Nation-Dixon is a very watchable and charismatic performer. Earnest and honest; self-deprecating and funny, messy and loveable. Also sharp and funny, she can move from light to dark in a whisper. Her character, Margot, is accused of being a hoax by the object of her unrequited desire. But nobody can lay the same charge on Mimi Nation-Dixon. Her show is the real thing.
SIT OR KNEEL
The Other Palace
Reviewed on 22nd October 2025
by Jonathan Evans
Previously reviewed at this venue:
LOVE QUIRKS | ★★★ | September 2025
50 FIRST DATES: THE MUSICAL | ★★★★★ | September 2025
SAVING MOZART | ★★★★ | August 2025
THE LIGHTNING THIEF | ★★★ | March 2025
HOMO ALONE | ★★★ | December 2024
JULIE: THE MUSICAL | ★★½ | June 2024
CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE 90s MUSICAL | ★★★★ | January 2024
A VERY VERY BAD CINDERELLA | ★★★★ | December 2023
