Sister Act, The Musical

Sister Act is a musical based on the hit 1992 film of the same name.  The story is set in 1977.  Deloris van Cartier is a singer and is performing for her gangster boyfriend Curtis Jackson in the nightclub he owns, hoping that he will introduce her to a record producer.  She is quickly disillusioned and decides to break up with Curtis and make her own way.   When she goes to tell him she is leaving, she sees him shoot one of his gang members.  Horrified, she runs to a police station where she tells Eddie Souther, the police sergeant who turns out to be an old school friend, known as “Sweaty Eddie”, what happened.  Eddie, who had a crush on Deloris when they were at school, decides that she needs to go into the witness protection programme and sends her to a convent where he believes Jackson will never find her.

FAOS’s choice of Sister Act was a terrific show to add to their already impressive repertoire, which started in 1928.  The opening numbers in the Nightclub set the scene and had the audience hooked from the start.  Sabrina Hinchliffe as Deloris was outstanding and held the show together from beginning to end.  Eat your heart out, Whoopi Goldberg!  She captured brilliantly the many sides of Deloris – brash nightclub singer, rebellious and mischievous nun, emerging as a reflective, caring and loyal friend and companion.  The scene in her bedroom at the convent with all the sisters in their long, modest nightgowns trying to persuade her to stay, added a different dimension.  Christine Siddall, Mother Superior, took full advantage of the comedy in her role, interacting with George Murray, Monsignor O’Hara, and offering up asides to God for help in dealing with Deloris and displaying varying degrees of frustration in coping with her situation.  Martin Sampson’s baddie, Curtis, was suitably authoritative, controlling his hopeless henchmen who chased Deloris all over the place with little success.  Dan Wigmore’s TJ was very amusing, adding an endearing and comic note.  Eddie Souther as the Police Officer gave a solid performance and his singing covered a wide ranging tonality in I Could Be That Guy.  Lucy Egan as Sister Mary Robert gave a surprisingly powerful performance as the reticent postulant but then blossomed into a bold character whose strong singing belied her timid image, especially evident in The Life I Never Led.

The enthusiasm and commitment of the whole cast was palpable from the start and they worked well as a team.  The excellent band (I prefer to describe them as an orchestra!) was in full view to the left of the auditorium.  An ingenuous touch was to have Steven Bean, the Musical Director, dressed in a cassock and he conducted with infectious gusto and passion.  Although the orchestra was on the same level as the audience, as there is no orchestra pit at the Maltings, they never overpowered the singers and everyone, soloists and chorus, was clearly audible.

The simple set was effective.   Static pillared arches on either side of the stage served throughout with the clever use of projected images on the back wall changing each scene – Nightclub, Back Streets, Police Station, Cathedral, Convent Dining Room and Chapel, Bar, Bedroom, Office, etc.   Appropriate props came and went seamlessly and I enjoyed the Pope arriving and departing on his ‘Pope-Mobile’.  Lighting was used very effectively throughout, including a glitter-ball which always adds to the atmosphere.   In a show where the majority of the action takes place in a convent, nuns’ costumes play a large part.  The cast of nuns took to their roles with ease, as though this was part of their everyday life!  The nightclub singers’ and dancers’ costumes were suitably glamorous and glittery, Deloris in particular enjoying a variety of provocative outfits.  The three henchmen dressed as nuns when raiding the convent were amazingly convincing.  The group numbers were well rehearsed and effective, particularly the nuns as they moved from traditional hymn singing to something quite different with a rock beat and all the attendant hand waving, which they all clearly thoroughly enjoyed.

Sue Sampson’s direction was impeccable, benefitting from her vast experience as Director for many societies and bringing together a large cast of diverse characters to produce an amusing, polished, professional, memorable show.

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