Sister Act back in London again with the fabulous Beverly Knight who can do no wrong but it’s a show for the masses (out of towners and tourists) with not a lot of meat, and it delivers nothing chewy. This show is definitely not for the die hard theatregoer.
The nuns are back in full force (‘Sister Act’ has played in London several times – the first time in 2009) as is Knights voice – she has a magical (and dare we say holy) stage presence. Knight is Delores Van Cartier who has unwillingly becomes a nun on the run and had to go hiding in a convent as she witnessed a murder by her boyfriend Curtis Shank (Lemar). Coper Lt. Eddie Souther (the always very Clive Row) is her hider in chief as it’s his suggestion she hide in a convent. Souther gets the approval of the very stern Mother Superior (Ruth Jones) who apprehensively approves. But Delores is a fish out of water in the convent, but through her voice and overall niceness all the nuns, though suspicious at first, slowly take a liking to her, and soon enough they are all singing the same tune (pun intended) with plans to raise money to save the convent from a potential buyer. But the bad guys are still looking for Delores, and it’s no surprise that they eventually locate her, after lots of middling jokes and good songs where some of the others nuns have a moment to shine (Lizzie Bea).
It’s all played out very easy and simple, and where the fights look as fake as a fiddle, and the physical comedy akin to a panto production. And towards the end there’s not that much to praise except for being thankful that Knight leads it all and she’s just wonderful to watch, but actual show not too much.