All who attended "Pastor Will You Marry Me Please" at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts had an enjoyable evening of theatre.

The Pat Pogson Nesbitt play centred on a young woman's choices, the option to be abused and her decision to be victor and not victim.

Talented young Nishanti Bailey was playing the lead role of Mary Waterspoon. Mary was determined that her life would be different from the background that she had experienced growing up.

But with leaving one bad situation, she found herself in the hands of a wolf in the form of Acting Pastor Deacon Bobby Johnson (Lamont Robinson). He was in possession of wandering eyes and hands, at one point, for his 14-year-old charge, Mary.

There was a believable fight that ensued and from my perch in the balcony it looked as though they would tumble off the ledge of the set, which was her bedroom.

Acting Pastor Deacon Bobby Johnson and his dotingly blind wife Acting Fist Lady Sister Roseclaire Johnson (Michelle Laylor) took over the parsonage after the former pastor had run away with the church's funds. But although oblivious to her husband's actions, Sister Roseclaire was very aware that they didn't need to work and their congregation couldn't support them. She also noticed her husband's wandering eye for young Mary, but she didn't leave him until he was led away in cuffs.

The show opened with Gloria Waterspoon, a prostitute, saying goodbye to one of her clients who was later revealed to be none other than the Deacon Bobby Johnson himself. Perry Trott was her husband, who came in on the mess and promptly attached himself to a glass of Johnny Walker.

You got the feeling that although Mr. Trott played the role well, he didn't feel comfortable with the part of being the husband of the prostitute or a child molester.

Sister Claudette Pinterworth (Rhonda Daniels) was convincing as the uptight virgin spinster.

She continuously tripped over her heels and spewed Bible verses that were designed to damage, rather than heal.

Comedienne Gina Davis played the in-need-of-love-and-not-afraid-to-show-it Sister Allelu. In several scenes, while viewing the new pastor, Pastor Ryan Ryan (international actor and award winning Gospel vocalist DeWayne Woods), if eyes could cop a feel they would have.

She was being portrayed as a love starved lover of the church and God, but who wouldn't say no if she had the chance.

Pastor Ryan Ryan entered as the new Pastor of the Pentecostal Christian Holiness Assembly and although his heart was in the right place he neglected to mention one important fact — he was married to Sheila Ryan (Laurel Burns).

Sheila Ryan entered the stage with attitude all over her, she walked through the house as if it was her palace and then turned to introduce herself to the people she had neglected to acknowledge.

She was dressed in a fire engine red trouser suit that managed to hit every single curve on her short frame.

The set was thoughtfully designed and it featured the Pentecostal Christian Holiness Assembly off to the left, the parsonage living room to the lower right above which was Mary's bedroom.

Throughout the play gospel music abounded, but the highlight had to be when Mr. Woods was begging the forgiveness of the character Mary (Nishanti Bailey) with his song 'Let Go'.

All in all it was a good night out and on Thursday night it brought the audience to their feet in a standing ovation.

And if you missed it, it was filmed and a book of the play and a DVD will soon follow.