Sister Act - the Musical, at the London Palladium

Review by Maureen Regan

What a wonderful, spectacular and entertaining show this is!!

Although the music is completely different, the story sticks very closely to that of the movie until the very last scene. The cast are so convincing that I actually thought that some of the 'nuns' were from the screen version until I realised that by now many of them would be too old!! Sister Mary Patrick, Sister Robert and Sister Lazarus must have studied the movie over and over again. They were absolutely brilliant! While Sheila Hancock may not have the strongest of voices, she played the part of the reverend mother with utter conviction and reminded me not only of Maggie Smith in the same part, but also of the reverend mother in the 'Sound of Music.'

The music was very different from the original and I have to admit to being a little disappointed at first not to hear 'Salve Regina'. However the arrangement of the 'Sacred Mass' made up for it. Initially I was unsure about this too but the performance was full of life both in terms of the singing and the very energetic dancing that accompanied it.

The scenery was magnificent - cloisters and gothic arches abounded, to rival the grandest of mediaeval cathedrals, and looking at the stained glass windows would make you feel you were in Notre Dame itself! These contrasted at regular intervals with the bareness of the cell inhabited by Dolores van Cartier and with the lushness of the night club in the first act.

So much imagination went into the design of the costumes and this added immensely to the whole performance. Nuns were never so well attired!!!!

What can I say of Patina Miller, who played Dolores??!!! She was just wonderful, bursting with life and energy, a superb singer and a fantastic dancer - a most worthy successor to Whoopi Goldberg, who as one of the producers, must be very proud of her!!

The climax of the show resulted in a well-deserved standing ovation. It ended one high note, full of optimism and really lifted my spirits. Judging by the relentless applause of the audience, it did the same for everyone else as well!

Official website: http://www.sisteractthemusical.com/

Original cast album at Amazon