Sister Act

This was my first outing as the new District 8 Noda Representative, and I would like to thank the Chairman of Tingdene Entertainers, Steve Westley, for the warm welcome that he provided to my guest and I.

I always think that Sister Act is a difficult musical to stage – for me nothing could ever beat the film version where Whoopi Goldberg, of course, plays the formidable Deloris. However, before coming to see this evening’s production I took some advice from Ms Goldberg and told myself not to look for a replica of her or the film; a note she gave the director of the West End production when he was casting the role. As such, I approached Tingdene’s creation with an open mind.

In all I had an enjoyable evening, at times I was swaying along with the upbeat songs, clapping to the cheerful numbers and even holding my breath as the sisters protected Deloris from a bullet. (A moving moment, I found).

I would like to congratulate Spencer Barlow (Director) on what was a well- rehearsed and set show – especially given the size of the cast and limited space. I think you cast the show well and had clearly drilled the principals and company to make them shine. To improve, I would like to see smoother scene transitions, and given the size of your ensemble, I would have suggested using them to transition scenes and not your stage crew, which was offputting at times.

The band headed by Musical Director Duncan Balcon was excellent and I offer each member of the band my warmest applause. Duncan had coached the company extremely well and the overall musical presentation was of a good standard, with some talented individuals hitting home some challenging numbers. My favourite numbers were: “Here within these Walls”, “The Life I Never Had”, “Fabulous Baby (original and reprise)” and the “Finale”.

Ashleigh Hammond, whom is clearly a talented singer, played the role of Deloris; she took on the role with courage and strength – I congratulate her on bringing her own interpretation to this difficult and iconic role.

Two performances I particularly enjoyed were those of Linda Westley as Sister Mary Patrick and Steve Kelly as Eddie (or should I say “Sweaty Eddie”); both actors created warm and believable characters, which I really connected with.

The performance of the evening must go to Mindy Robinson as Mother Superior. Mindy is an exceptionally talented actor and played an outstanding part. From the beginning I could see warmth in her eyes and heart that I knew would grow and develop. I believed every aspect of her performance and thought it worthy of a much bigger stage and production. Put simply, outstanding.

The ensemble and supporting roles were all played well and with energy – everyone was clearly enjoying the production, which always transfers to the audience. I would advise that caution be taken not to break the fourth wall, which some actors did in response to laughs from the audience; I found this inappropriate in a show of this kind.

Georgina Westley, who did a good job, choreographed the company. The movement was upbeat and spirited; she also balanced the different abilities within the company well, with the cast presenting a polished finish. My only note would be to be aware of the style of the show in hand and ensure that your work reflects that – in this instance the late-1970s/early-1980s dance movements.

Sadly, the costumes, scenery, properties, sound and lighting did not mirror the talented cast and were very limited. Outside of the nuns’ habits and other clergy wear, there was no clear vision or quality to the costumes, which did detract from the production. I struggled at times to hear any cast member that did not have a personal microphone, which was a real shame. These elements can often be difficult for smaller companies to deliver on, but are nevertheless so important to a show. Perhaps in the future, the production team/Committee could consider hiring items and additional equipment to ensure this area of work reflects that of the cast and other departments.

Finishing on a positive note, the audience – including my guest and I – clearly enjoyed the evening of entertainment. Congratulations to all concerned on your production of Sister Act, which you had all evidently worked very hard on and had a ball in doing so.

 

 

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