The Stage

Sister Act

Published Wednesday 3 June 2009 at 11:00 by Lisa Martland

Having dodged the crowds staring at the sight of nuns abseiling down the front of the London Palladium, it was time to check out if this musical version of Sister Act had the same ingredients of comedy and pathos that the original 1992 hit film had in abundance.

The answer is that it has oodles of the former, delivered with huge energy and pace, with scene after scene leaving a permanent smile on many an audience member’s face. In contrast, what is neglected is a convincing portrayal of lounge singer Deloris Van Cartier’s spiritual journey from selfish disco diva to Sister Mary Clarence, a proud member of a sisterhood she loves and believes in. Hence, the rather severe Mother Superior’s softening towards her new and unexpected charge seems somewhat rushed and might be better if introduced more gradually.

But these are relatively small criticisms when Sister Act is a welcome addition to the West End. For a start, the casting is inspired. Making her West End debut, sexy, assured and phenomenally talented American actress Patina Miller gives a show-stopping performance as Deloris (hiding in the convent from her murdering gangster boyfriend Shank). But it is also worth pointing out that several other members of the ensemble are equally impressive during their designated musical numbers.

A particular case in point is ‘Sweaty’ Eddie (Ako Mitchell) singing I Could Be That Guy and fantasising about being the type of man Deloris will fall for. As well as being a highlight of the evening, this sequence showcases how imaginative director Peter Schneider can be when integrating comedy and song. On another occasion, Shank describes how he and his cronies are going to kill Deloris when they find her, a perfect example of black humour meets Motown.

Alongside the writers, including of course composer Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater, Schneider, choreographer Anthony Van Laast and set designer Klara Zieglerova perfectly recreate the era of disco with dollops of raunchy soul and uplifting gospel thrown in for good measure.

The final plaudits must go to the nuns themselves who are in exceptionally fine voice and are loving every minute of their shenanigans. In this respect Katie Rowley Jones, Claire Greenway, sizzling senior citizen Julia Sutton and the excellent Sheila Hancock’s brooding Mother Superior all deserve a special mention.

If your taste in musicals veers towards hijinks rather than high art, then get thee to a nunnery because Sister Act’s arrival in the West End comes highly recommended.

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