Grab your habits and rush down to the Opera House, because the nuns are in town! Based on the Whoopi Goldberg classic from 1992, the musical version of Sister Act largely stays true to the movie plot. The story follows wannabe singer Deloris Van Cartier’s escape from her gangster boyfriend, as she inadvertently witnesses a murder. Where does she go? Into hiding, as a nun, in a Philadelphia convent – of course! When she struggles to adapt, annoying Mother Superior in the process as she leads her fellow sisters astray, she is tasked with improving the woeful convent choir. Wonderful music from composer Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, Beauty and the Beast), and lyrics by Glenn Slater (School of Rock, Love Never Dies), breathe fresh life and vibrancy to the story.
The production boasted a truly superb cast in its entirety, with great direction from Bill Buckhurst. Landi Oshinowo shone as Deloris. She brought great heart, soul, sass and stunning vocals to the leading role. Oshinowo looked effortless as she belted out Menken’s great numbers ‘Take Me To Heaven’ and ‘Fabulous, Baby!’ but really showcased her vocal prowess with Act 2’s rendition of the title track, ‘Sister Act’. Wendi Peters was the perfect foil to Deloris as the strait-laced Mother Superior. Peters, as expected, had real presence, wonderfully funny facial expressions and impeccable comic timing. Her vocals were strong, with ‘I Haven’t Got A Prayer’ a real highlight.
Following a somewhat slow start, the show really moves through the gears with toe-tapping chorus numbers from the superb Sisters. As an ensemble, they really brought the show to life, each showcasing different and quirky personalities with the director clearly working hard on creating unique characterisations. The convent standout, however, was Eloise Runnette making her professional debut as Sister Mary Robert. Her story arc was beautiful, as we witnessed her confidence grow under Deloris’ wing. Runnette brought the house down with the ballad, ‘The Life I Never Led’.
Director Bill Buckhurst squeezed every ounce of humour from the piece with great physical theatre, particularly in the closing scenes as the nuns stop the gangsters in their tracks. ‘Lady in the Long Black Dress’ performed by Joey, TJ and Pablo (Callum Martin, Elliot Gooch and Michalis Antoniou) was absolutely hilarious, showcasing Alistair David’s creative choreography. Similarly, Alfie Parker brought ‘Steady’ Eddie Southern to life with aplomb, with ‘I Could Be That Guy’ another laugh out loud moment with outrageously funny dance moves. So often nowadays, money is saved in touring productions with the omission of a live band. It was, therefore, wonderful to hear a live orchestra play the music and, I must say, under Tom Slade’s leadership, they were truly sublime.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the wonderful set and costume designs from Morgan Large. The simple set worked beautifully, with Tim Mitchell’s lighting design, in moving from scene to scene quickly and seamlessly. The illuminated stain glass look adorning the stage throughout was a real treat on the eye. At times, the sound was a little quiet, and microphones could’ve benefited from being a little louder.
Overall, despite an unfortunate technical hitch stopping the show midway, this was a brilliant production. Sister Act serves up a deliciously divine, feel-good show, delivering a huge serving of Girl Power. This heavenly musical brings as much heart as it does hilarity. With an extremely talented cast, the show offers high energy by the bucket loads with infectious joy that packs a punch and makes you want to stand, sing and dance along by the finale.
Sister Act is at Blackpool Opera House until Saturday 20th July. Book tickets here: https://www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk/events/sister-act/
Reviewer: Paddy Darnell-Walsh
Reviewed: 15th July 2024
North West End UK Rating: