Sister Act

I really like the musical ‘Sister Act’, but I love the film. This is a problem for me with all musicals that evolve from an outstanding film, they never quite live up to the promise of that first viewing of the film. Most of the music in the musical ‘Sister Act’ is different from the film and that takes getting used to. BUT...  once you have seen it a few times and you learn to re-love the music, it becomes a big success in its own right and so it was for me with FMTC ‘Sister Act’.

Although I have now seen the opening scenes of this show many times, I still find them disjointed, a means to get Delores to the main event... the nuns and the convent. No matter how good the performers or how it is staged it seems contrived, rushed and predictable, but when we reached the Mother Superior and the nuns with their wonderful characters they were as good, if not better than many I have seen.

The stage scenery was minimal and mostly black or dark  in colour, black legs, black (although slightly pattered) front drop and when the nuns were also in black it was difficult to light the scenes as  black seemed to drain the lights. The stained glass effect panels at the rear were good but would have been more effective if lit from behind. When the nuns added their red panels to the front of their robes, the lighting seemed to improve and when in their blue and then white robes, the lighting was more adventurous. The excellent sound allowed me to hear words I hadn’t heard in other productions (when diction has been poor).

I have seen both white and black Delores and unlike some I don’t think the character has to belong to any racial group although of course she was made famous by the wonderful Whoopi Goldberg. Dora Bishop was a very watchable Delores Van Cartier, with an immense presence. But her character was ‘one dimensional’... brash, loud and wearing the huge red wig, slightly aggressive. I needed to see softness in her core so that when the Mother Superior found the bible under her pillow, I could actually believe in her. But apart from some slight tiredness in her voice (not surprising after all those performances) this was a big role by a very talented actor and singer. The night belonged to the excellent men of the cast (who were remarkably funny) and to the nuns, each presenting wonderful individual characters. The singing was excellent, lovely harmonies and the sound from the hidden orchestra was very good. The whole show was lively, warm, funny and very touching. Sister Mary Robert’s (Nicole Wooldridge) singing of ‘The life I never led’ was  outstanding, very well done.

Congratulations to Victoria Withers, Karen Harley and Sally Langley, it is difficult and a huge responsibility making some ones else’s direction come to life... very well done. This was an entertaining evening spent watching FMTC give a very good performance of the understandably popular ‘Sister Act’. Well done FMTC another success.

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