Sister Act Musical Review

This was always going to be a tall order for me.

Growing up, I was a huge Whoopi Goldberg fan and loved the Sister Act movie. The stakes for this West End show to wow me, were therefore high.

Quick movie recap

For those who haven’t seen the film (and shame on you), the story is about a club singer, Deloris Van Cartier, who witnesses a murder by her mob boyfriend.

To save herself, she agrees to go into protective custody and has to hide as a nun.

Her casual attitude to the nuns’ lifestyle initially ruffles feathers at the convent, especially those of her Mother Superior.

Yet with charm and charisma, she eventually wins them over by turning the out of tune nuns’ choir, into a modern singing group.

The divine Sister Act Musical cast

The show mostly imitates the film. Our woman turned nun-on-the-run, played by Whoopi Goldberg in the film, is played by the incredible Beverley Knight, the British RnB singer.

Her voice, stage presence and comedic timing were impeccable. It made me regret not paying enough attention to her talent when she graced the music charts in the early 2000s. But her vocals absolutely caught my attention now.

The musical had other familiar faces, such as Jennifer Saunders as Mother Superior. Her film and TV roles include Death on the Nile (2022 film adaption), Absolutely Fabulous and Friends, where she played Emily’s mother.

With her sarcasm, Mother Superior does a fantastic job of antagonising Deloris our nun in hiding. The two polar opposite characters bounce off each other well and it’s amusing to watch.

Other actors in the musical included Keala Settle (The Greatest Showman), Clive Rowe (The Story of Tracy Beaker) and Leslie Joseph (Birds of a feather).

They work well as an ensemble, and yet each did a great job of holding their own. Still, the standout performances were rightly Beverley Knight and Jennifer Saunders.

Other special mentions

The show offered a romance that didn’t feature in the film. How it plays out as a timid crush that bubbles to the surface was done in an adorable way.

A special shout out must go to the costume designers and Clive Rowe, who plays Eddie Souther, the police officer who helps Deloris go into hiding.

In one scene, he transitions into three outfits in one swoop. As far as costume changes go, it was impressive.

The stage design was stunning, smoothly taking us from the safe convent to the mean streets and clubs on the nuns’ doorstep.

This all played out with some disco and soulful songs. Although it was a shame that none of the music from the film made it on the show. There was, therefore, little chance of singing along.

The final scenes will, however, light you up. You witness the sisterly bonds that Deloris and the nuns form and see the cast in their full colour, glitter and glory.

It’s an uplifting show that will leave you smiling to the heavens and back.

This review is from 2022. Check the show’s official website for the current cast. The Sister Act Musical is on a UK tour – catch it at a city near you.