One-Woman Comedy SIT OR KNEEL To Open At The Other Palace Studio In October

Following a sold-out and critically acclaimed Fringe debut, Sit or Kneel, a darkly funny and sharply observed one-woman show, will return to the stage this autumn for a limited run at The Other Palace Studio. Written and performed by Mimi Nation-Dixon, the production will run October 21–26, with a press night set for Wednesday, October 22.

At the heart of the play is Margot, a twenty-something vicar reluctantly leading a parish she barely understands while privately coming undone. Set in a quintessentially English village filled with unsolicited advice and passive-aggressive hospitality, Sit or Kneel is an ode to rural life — its peculiar charm, social rigidity, and the pressure to appear “perfectly fine.”

Nation-Dixon, a National Youth Theatre alumna and Durham University theology graduate, was inspired to write the piece after completing her dissertation titled How Richard Curtis Said Yes to Vicars in Knickers. The show arrives as the Church of England marks 33 years since voting to ordain women, a milestone underscored by the fact that fewer than 25% of paid clergy are currently women.

Blending keen observational humour with emotional resonance, Sit or Kneel examines identity, gender, ambition, and grief through the lens of a singularly compelling protagonist. The show has drawn comparisons to Fleabag and The Vicar of Dibley, with critics praising its warmth, wit, and vivid cast of characters — all portrayed by Nation-Dixon.

The play's success has already sparked the development of a television pilot, with hopes of expanding its distinctive rural universe into a full series.