Sister Act - The Musical

After two years of delay with pandemic lockdowns, Jamie Wilson's production of 'Sister Act – A Divine Musical Comedy' finally hit the London stage last summer, then began a nationwide tour of  the UK and Ireland. After a Christmas break it resumes this week at Norwich Theatre Royal, an unbelievable twenty nine years after Whoopi Goldberg first appeared on-screen as nightclub singer Deloris Van Cartier in the original film version.
 
Just in case you have been living on a different planet for the last three decades, 'Sister Act' is a light  comedy, in which a street-savvy lounge singer is forced to join a witness protection programme, and is given cover in a Catholic convent. By the end of the film, the nuns and Deloris have each learned something from the other. The plot and the premise may have been a bit cheesy, but the movie made $230 million at the box office.
 
For this stage tour, the part of Deloris is brought to life by Sandra Marvin, and she delivers a standout high-octane performance that combines confidence, charisma and sassiness – all the qualities that define the role. She is balanced beautifully tonight by Lori Haley Fox, who is standing in all week for Lesley Joseph in the role of Mother Superior, and their on-stage chemistry results in a wonderful comedy double act over the course of the evening. A pairing 'made in heaven', perhaps?
 
The Sister Marys are all wonderful, even if, like policemen, they can all begin to look the same when they their 'hats' on. However, Sister Mary Robert (played by Lizzie Bea) deserves special mention – her reprise of 'The Life I Never Had', towards the end of Act Two, had me truly welling up inside. And Graham MacDuff, as policeman Eddie Souther, does exactly the same thing in Act One as he opens his heart to us in 'I Could Be That Guy'.
 
But what makes a truly great stage musical, as well as the songs, are the costumes, and the rainbow habits for the finale have to be seen to be believed. And there are some lovely touches, like Eddie's desk-top transformation into a Saturday Night Fever-style John Travolta. The innovative lighting design by Tim Mitchell cleverly allows a fairly simple stage design to transform seamlessly from night-club bar to convent refectory to police station with just a few rearrangements and a change of palette.
 
And, if you haven't seen the film before (and I hadn't), do not worry – the plot is pretty straighforward and easy to follow. And, if you loved the film, you will adore this show. 'Sister Act – A Divine Musical Comedy' will make you feel all warm inside, and without you needing to turn on the central heating. Surely the best reason I can think of to leave the house on a dark January evening. Bar nun.