Sister Act

Sister Act by Heywood AODS was a first for me, I had previously seen neither the film nor the show, I went along with great anticipation and excitement. It was heartwarming to see the "Sold Out" signs and to view all the audience filled seats. 

From the moment David Abendstern (Musical Director) raised his baton the audience were swept along, he kept great pace, the glorious harmonies were solid and were a good foundation for the Principal vocalists to really let rip with their singing chops. Aimee Clare as Deloris was everything and more, there is no hiding in a part like this, all the vocals have to be strong and powerful, the acting has to be solid and definite, the facial expressions big because so much of the actor is covered by a costume . As soon as she sang her first note she let us know that she meant business, she had great energy, she was comfortable and she was going to enjoy and live in every single second, she also was going to make sure that the audience enjoyed every single second along with her. Diction and accent were good, use of her stage space was well thought out, she showed some incredible empathy with her fellow cast members. The chemistry and mutual respect on stage between Aimee Clare and Shirley Harrison (Mother Superior) was fabulous, they were very much a team and fully immersed in their characters, the comedic timing was spot on. Shirley had some fantastic one liners that she delivered to the audience with gusto. Her rendition of "I Haven't Got A Prayer" was beautifully delivered, the audience loved it.

Simon Pickup as Monsignor O'Hara had me on the edge of my seat as I eagerly awaited his next entrance in each even more elaborate and spangly costume - his portrayal had gravitas mixed in equal parts with fun and was very enjoyable to watch. Leonie Picariello as the quiet, mousy Sister Mary Robert certainly came into her own and she raised the roof with her vocal riffs. The scenes that she shared with Stephanie Mead (Sister Mary Patrick) were compelling to watch, they were both so comfortable and strong in their characterisations, they showed both the characters growth and self belief, their use of the stage space was good, projection was great. Stephanie's facial expressions were phenomenal, they were big and her little giggle was infectious.

Sam Reid as the baddie Curtis was quiet, arrogant and menacing, I thoroughly enjoyed his delivery of "When I Find My Baby", his three backing singers/dancers (Paul Dawson, James Earnshaw and Martin White) stole the limelight beautifully. Throughout the show they were like the three stooges but carefully didn't overplay things. Nick Angus as Eddie showed us his softer side, I certainly did feel for him when he was trussed up in three costumes - one on top of the other! He brought some nice energy to to his part and had some lovely scenes with Aimee Clare.

The ensemble were incredible in this show, the harmonies they let rip were soaring and were an absolute joy to hear, to sing badly is not an easy thing to do - it requires real concentration. The choreography for the whole show by Katie Fry was fast paced, innovative, exciting, synchronised and well thought out for with the costumes. The sheer amount of people on stage in this show is a headache in itself before you add in any movement or take into account people's different ability levels but I saw a West End worthy production, such teamwork, genuine respect and joy to be performing was evident in every scene.

There were a few sound gremlins at the very beginning but balance was quickly restored and stayed nice and even throughout the rest of the show. The lighting was sympathetic to the action on stage, the spots were great and I particularly liked the lighting within the church scenes. The set was pretty complex because there are quite a few different locations, this venue has a very wide stage and so HAODS use it as three parts - the main central stage and an apron on either side, this really worked well for this show. The chase scene through the church was done particularly well, there was pace and energy without rushing , there was audible noise and clattering without just chaos and clamour - Well Done Jo Weetman ( Director) for all the attention to detail, it really does make a big difference.

The costumes were hired in from Charades, they looked amazing on stage, the colours and the sparkle all added to the complete spectacle that was this fantastic show. Bravo!

My guest and I thoroughly enjoyed the performance, I look forward to seeing you all again very soon.

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