Sister Act Review, New Victoria Theatre, Woking, Monday 20th February 2023
We have covered Whoopi Goldberg’s nun exploits previously and had an absolute blast in doing so, and we were fortunate enough to see Sister Act at the Eventim Apollo; how do you pass up an opportunity to see Beverly Knight, Keala Settle and Jennifer Saunders? So, it is with great excitement and anticipation that we get back into the habit at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking for the touring production of Alan Menken and Glenn Slater’s Sister Act.
Any fear that this touring production would mean a loss of all the glitz and glamour that it had in the London can quickly be discarded. The show brings with it the same polish and pizazz that audiences familiar with the production would expect, and that will enthral those who are new to the show. The costumes throughout the show are extraordinary, which may surprise those who are probably expecting conservative black and white to be the prevailing theme of the night. Morgan Large has done a phenomenal job both as Set and Costume designer; giving Deloris her big, diva style and the costumes throughout delight and entertain audiences. The final set piece, especially, with the choir adopting the same glamour to entertain His Holiness, will absolutely spark joy in all who watch it. For me, my favourite moment of costume falls during the wonderful “I Could Be That Guy” sequence. Clive Rowe (Eddie) deserves a medal for performing with such energy under all those layers, and this moment leaves a lasting impression.
Most of the cast remains unchanged since it’s run in London; with the more notable names I previously mentioned abstaining from rocking the habit once again. This gives both Sandra Marvin and Lesley Joseph a promotion as they step seamlessly into the roles of Deloris and Mother Superior respectively. Both featured previously, with Marvin performing the role at select performances and Joseph previously playing Sister Mary Lazarus. Having seen Marvin previously in Waitress (also at the New Victoria Theatre, and incidentally almost a year to the day…) I was never surprised that she would be cast in such a role, and she performs with ease. Her comic timing, her presence and, most importantly, her voice will leave you forgetting Whoopi Goldberg was ever in a film about nuns! Likewise, Joseph provides a wonderful antithesis to Deloris and their tit-for-tat exchanges will leave you howling with laughter. Whilst both characters have big personalities, the performers also manage to show their vulnerabilities with ease and ground the characters when a lesser script may opt for simple caricatures instead.
Getting the opportunity to once again see the phenomenal ensemble of engaging characters played by the same actors demonstrates that this tour is going out with it’s best foot forward for what may be much of the UK’s first experience of Sister Act. Clive Rowe continues to astound as “Steady” Eddie, a character who gets a much bigger presence than his film counterpart, and steals every scene he is a part of. Likewise, Lizzie Bea continues to shine as postulant nun Sister Mary Robert. The majority of the show features her vulnerability; captured beautifully with “The Life I Never Led”, and the moment that she is able to find her voice and assert her opinion is a triumph. Seeing the return of Jeremy Secomb as Curtis Jackson and his ‘associates’ Damian Buhagiar (Pablo), Tom Hopcroft (Joey – and a real lookalike to a close friend of ours that made us wonder if he had quit his day job) and Bradley Judge (TJ) is also a delight. Their dynamic continues to be joyous and a comedic highlight of the show. Secomb’s song, “When I Find My Baby”, is a bop, and showcases the wonderful collaboration between Menken and Slater. Whilst the orchestration leads you to expect a crooner, the lyrics go a completely different route that will leave you in hysterics. Similarly, Buhagiar, Hopcroft and Judge absolutely own the night with the wonderful and hilarious “Lady In The Long Black Dress”. I couldn’t tell you which of these goons I loved the most; from Buhagiar’s sex appeal, Hopcroft’s overall energy and demeanour and Judge’s infectious laugh the trio turn generic ‘mob’ characters into ones that will leave a lasting impression.
Whilst I’ve touched briefly on the songs; the names tell you all you need to know. It’s Alan Menken – of course the soundtrack is incredible. Menken continues his successful collaboration with Glenn Slater, who continues to delight me with banger after banger; from School of Rock, Tangled and Galavant a lot of his music contributes to what makes my Spotify playlist truly musical. The songs will not disappoint, and you will leave the theatre unsure of which one you want to sing along to first! The songs are all partnered to wonderful set pieces and is a harmonious blend of aural and visual entertainment.
If I had to give a critique of the show overall, it would simply be that at times, I felt the relationship between Deloris and the convent often felt marginalised. There is so much emphasis on this in the film, but at times it feels lacking. Sister Mary Patrick feels like the biggest victim of this throughout, s outside of a wonderful moment in a nightclub, the character feels like an afterthought which is not befitting of Kathy Najimy’s legacy in the role – although I do seem to recall this was a critique of Sister Act 2 so maybe it’s simply a case of Bill and Cheri Steinkellner being unable to bottle that original magic. The critique is slight, as I think otherwise, they have done a wonderful job in adapting the show for the stage.
If you are looking for a strong contender for best night out, Sister Act is absolutely up there. With exceptional performances and memorable songs, this might be the best version of Sister Act – bar nun!
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Download our episode – coming out Monday 27th February for more of our thoughts and to find out who our MVP is; along with more talk on our favourite songs and what roles we would want to play.
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Sister Act is currently playing at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking until Saturday 25th February 2023. You can follow them on:
Twitter: @WokingTheatre
Instagram: @NewVictoriaTheatreWoking
Twitter and Instagram: @SisterActSocial