Review: SINNER: A Musical Tragicomedy About Breaking Up With White Jesus, Just The Tonic 

Listening to Marla Torgerson is like listening to a close friend confide in you. Every expression and inflection pulls you closer, making the deeply personal feel intimate and immediate. This is the power of her storytelling. SINNER. A Musical Tragicomedy About Breaking Up With White Jesus is her retelling of growing up in a conservative Canadian household, shaped by overbearing parents, body shame, and other painful experiences. 

This one-woman show is a hybrid of comedy and musical theatre. It begins with Bible verses presented in a PowerPoint slideshow. The scripture is accompanied by WordArt graphics and a mid-2000s clip-art aesthetic, heightening the absurdity. But Torgerson makes it clear that she is rejecting “White Jesus”, a traditionalist and strict belief system based on outdated and colonial ideas, rather than religion entirely.  She summarises how scripture can be and is still weaponised to oppress women, and lists examples of how it has been used to shame and diminish her. Each anecdote initially provokes a surge of anger, quickly followed by empathy for the pain it caused her. 

When not presenting the PowerPoint, she sings about difficult topics, playing at a keyboard. A trained singer, Torgerson’s voice is stunning. One standout song is about cellulite, inspired by a 1968 article published in Vogue. Additionally, her mother’s constant reminders about her weight and appearance, including instructions to suck in her stomach from the age of four, show the pressures of growing up under such scrutiny.

The show’s more serious moments are balanced with sharp bursts of humour, particularly when Torgerson recounts her time at Bible college, which she describes as practically a “Bridal college”: “A ring by spring or your money back,” she jokes. She does not get married, however, and instead decides to serve as a missionary in South Korea. Reflecting on the ending of a relationship, she explores the shame and guilt surrounding pre-marital sex, having been taught that she would lose her attractiveness and worth once she crossed that boundary.

To get her through the breakup, Torgerson relies on her friends and clubbing. She emphasises the power of female friendship and the sense of invincibility that comes from getting dressed up and going ‘out out’. Yet this newfound freedom conflicts with the values she was taught growing up, prompting her to describe her friends as “a la carte Christians”.

The lighting design is minimal; for darker moments, Torgerson is washed in blue, which shifts to red to symbolise anger. The sound is generally well-balanced but had a few technical issues at the start of this performance, which no doubt will be fixed as the show continues its run. At times, the audience could hear loud music from the neighbouring room, which the venue, Just The Tonic, should address.

Throughout the show, Torgerson recounts many of her “sins” through cleverly blending comedy with moments of vulnerability and reflection. While the show ends rather suddenly, it presents a powerful exploration of faith, identity and the process of reclaiming one’s own voice.

Written & Performed by Marla Torgerson

SINNER: A Musical Tragicomedy About Breaking Up With White Jesus plays at
88 Just Up The Stairs at Just The Tonic at The Caves until Monday 17 August