The Chronicle

An act that’s hard to follow

LESLEY OLDFIELD REVIEWS SISTER ACT, WHICH IS AT THE THEATRE ROYAL NEWCASTLE UNTIL SATURDAY

-

WHAT can I say but Hallelujah!

It’s hard to beat a singing nun for entertainm­ent value and there’s more than a few of them in Sister Act.

They whip up a storm from their first tuneless number to the last sequinned barnstorme­r, ably led by X Factor winner Alexandra Burke.

She has a fabulous voice, as that chart-topping rendition of Hallelujah proved back in 2008. But she also creates a sassy, funny, and sympatheti­c character in Doloris Van Cartier – the mobster’s mistress who goes into hiding at a convent.

The musical is based on the popular movie starring Whoopi Goldberg – released 25 years ago – but with music by Disney favourite Alan Menken and witty lyrics from Glenn Slater.

It first opened 11 years ago and has toured many times, most recently in Sunderland last September. But a packed Theatre Royal showed it wasn’t too soon for this production, from Strictly’s Craig Revel Horwood, to return to the region.

Set in the 1970s, with disco and soul music at its heart, it is full of visual and direct references to famous faces of the time – Donna Summer, John Travolta, Barry White – and for some reason, those 1980s Smurfs!

It’s a strong cast – with Mother Superior Karen Mann stealing the show on more than one occasion – even when slumped in despair against a darkened pillar while her nuns leap about celebratin­g an imminent performanc­e of their risqué act before the Pope.

Jarrow lass Alice Stokoe played young postulant Sister Mary Robert to perfection, with a winning smile and a great rendition of one of the show’s best songs The Life I Never Led.

She was being cheered on by her proud dad, BBC Look North presenter Jeff Brown and other family members.

I loved the ridiculous posturing by the dandyish mobsters, prancing and making awful jokes and reaching the height of their powers as they attempt to musically seduce three unsuspecti­ng Sisters.

The cast is called upon to play their own, live music – be it saxophone, trombone, trumpet, guitar, banjo and more – as well as moving their own props and being their own chorus.

Joe Vetch, as the cop, is sweet but a bit wet – until he reveals that he has always loved Doloris and is transforme­d into Travolta, and back again, with lightning costume changes. This is a guy with more to him – and a great voice too.

The audience too is transporte­d into the days of disco, thanks to two huge glitterbal­ls which light up the auditorium with sparkles of light.

The second act is one great number after another as the pace of the plot quickens and it all ends with a fabulous finale – and a very happy audience!

 ??  ?? Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Burke

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom