Sister Act

Directed and choreographed byStrictlyfavourite Craig Revell Horwood, Sister Act is hitting the boards this week at Norwich Theatre Royal. Horwood explained to the theatre’s very own John Bultitude what he loves about the musical: ‘The songs are great, the music is great, the lyrics are great, and the story has this wonderful, wonderful heart’. I mean really, when it comes to a musical you can’t ask for much more.

Based on the 1992 film of the same name, Sister Act centres around Delores Van Cartier. Played originally by Whoopi Goldberg, on this tour Alexandra Burke embodies the very essence of Delores. Talented, beautiful, and not even a little bit modest, Delores knows that she’s going to be a star. She decides enough is enough when her awful boyfriend Curtis won’t let her sing at his club, won’t see her on Christmas, and gifts her a coat which belonged to his wife. Preparing to leave him, things escalate pretty quickly and Delores ends up being an unwilling witness to a murder. She flees, but not before the gang have seen her, and Curtis demanded that they bring her back (in a very dead or a alive way).

Delores goes to the police, where she recognises the officer as ‘Sweaty Eddie’ from school, who always had a crush on her. Deciding that Delores’s life is at risk, Eddie makes the decision to put Delores into a witness protection programme somewhere Curtis et al will never think to look for the Fabulous Delores – a convent.

The ensemble of nuns are excellent, and the cast seem to have a lot of fun singing as appallingly as they possibly can until Delores (now Sister Mary Clarence) takes over and polishes the choir to within an inch of its cloistered life. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud funny moments (Lady In The Long Black Dress), some proper feelings, and some very talented actors. We all know Alexandra Burke can sing, but Sister Act really showcases her comic timing and acting too. The onstage band are excellent (and very busy), and Sweaty Eddie, with his myriad costume changes, is potentially my favourite character in a musical of all time.

You won’t recognise any of the songs from the film, but that really doesn’t matter. There’s more glitter, afros, thigh-high platform boots and disco balls than are reasonable in a covnvent, and we love it.