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The singing, if not very tuneful nuns of The Little Sisters of Our Mother of Perpetual Faith in dire need of the Deloris choral touch Sister Act
Wolverhampton Grand
***** BILLED as
A Divine Musical
Comedy this production
is an extravaganza of ecclesiastical energy. From the opening, when we encounter Deloris Van
Cartier, (Alexandra Burke), auditioning in the sleazy Curtis nightclub,
the impact and enthusiasm delivered by the talented cast hits the
capacity audience with a bang! Having witnessed a shooting by the club owner
Curtis, Deloris, fearful of her own life, needs to find a safe refuge,
so, the local convent provides the ideal hideaway. She quickly becomes friends with the nuns, but
when she hears their choral cacophony she springs into action, teaching
them how to sing with soul and angelic perfection. Alas, Mother Superior, beautifully played by
Karen Mann, is not impressed by the transformation However, as the sisters notoriety grows and the
congregations increase, much needed revenue is generated, thus ensuring
the future of the cash strapped church Mission accomplished Deloris! The gothic interior
of the church, as the main set, seamlessly changes into other locations
with use of clever lighting and minimal props A gallery, high above the cloisters, houses the
musicians and an ingenious addition to this production was the live
playing of various instruments by the company of nuns throughout the
show. What a brilliant concept. With direction and choreography by Craig Revel Horwood, this ever-popular show reaches heavenly heights with a fresh, inventive presentation. Superior darling!
Alexandra Burke, who rose to fame as winner of
The X Factor in 2008 is Deloris Van Cartier and her powerful vocals echo
with resonance and emotion, but it's not just her singing that give this
performance star quality, boy, can this sister act! Joe Vetch as Eddie the cop, does a great Travolta
inspired routine that had zip and terrific costume changes and
accompanied by the ensemble, this was a particularly hilarious scene So many highlights to enjoy in this joyous,
uplifting show; Aaron Lee Lambert as the menacing gangster Curtis; his
band of criminal sidekicks; the swinging sisters and great musicians
pieced together a fabulous show Credit also to the production team, and the
band. Humour, pathos, love, murder, glittering habits! This show has it
all If you haven't seen it before, or want to
experience a 'reincarnation,' pop along to The Grand. We truly confess,
you won't be disappointed. To 04-03-17. Elizabeth M. Smith and Rosemary Manjunath 27-02-17
And from the cloisters . . .
**** OH sister! What a performance from
Alexandra Burke in this so happy musical directed and choreographed by
the talented Craig Revel Horwood. The 2008 X Factor winner has really blossomed
into a great performer, and she leads the show from the front with her
wonderful voice and ability to turn on the comedy. Horwood has created an impressive stage version
of the famous Whoopi Goldberg movie which, after a somewhat uneasy
opening, eventually bursts into life with enjoyable tunes and powerful
singing from a fine cast. Alexandra plays aspiring disco diva Deloris van
Cartier who, after seeing her gangster boyfriend. Curtis, (Aaron Lee
Lambert) gun down a police informer, becomes a target herself and the
local cops decide the best place to hide her for a while is in the local
convent. It’s not an arrangement that pleases the Mother
Superior, beautifully played by Karen Mann, who decides to punish the
wayward visitor by putting her in charge of the awful convent choir
whose screeching attempts to sing at first are enough to send the
theatre audiences heading for the exits. But, under her new name, Sister Mary Clarence,
the dodgy diva gradually whips them into shape with so much success that
the ailing convent, threatened with closure, gets a new lease of life
and even an invitation to sing for the Pope! Horwood has enjoyed much success with actors able
to play musical instruments on stage, and the system works well in his
show too, with some of the nuns impressive with saxophones, a flute, and
banjo, while Mother Superior is a Godsend on the trumpet. There are fine performances from Joe Vetch,
playing Eddie the cop with the hideaway plot, who has a excellent voice
and managers to switch his appearance in the blink of an eye to an Elvis
lookalike and back again to a lawman. Eventually the crooks track down Deloris but
all’s well that ends well in a rousing finale. To 04-03-17 Paul Marston |
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