SISTER ACT (UK Tour) October 2012

I first saw Sister Act on tour at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre in February this year before I started my blog. Tonight, after seeing it at the Birmingham Hippodrome I really wanted to include it before the end of the tour - and this is it's last venue!

Whoopi Goldberg's uplifting stage musical has different songs to those in the film but keeps to the story and follows Deloris Van Cartier into hiding at a convent. Whilst there her passion for music turns the choir of nuns from awful singers into a fabulous, famous show-choir.

This is a new production of the West End show that opened at the London Palladium in 2009. This version features the adaptions made for the Broadway production when it transferred in 2011. I didn't see the London production but it seems anything that was wrong there has definitely been ironed out for the tour - it's hard to find a fault. 

After the open auditions to find a new Deloris last year Cynthia Erivo rose from the masses and became the new diva. She is fabulous in every way and captures the humour that Whoopi Goldberg brought to the film version in her own take on "Sister Mary Clarence". Denise Black is impressive as the unimpressed, witty Mother Superior - tonight however we were treated to Shirley Jameson understudying the role and she matched Black's efforts and delivered her own perfect character. Michael Starke is a fun addition to the cast as Monsignor O'Hara. 

Julie Atherton is the perfect casting for the small and meek Sister Mary Robert, who when taught how to sing properly can truly raise the roof. Laurie Scarth is incredibly funny in the role of Sister Mary Patrick, as is Jacqueline Clarke as the hip-hop rapping Sister Mary Lazarus. There are smiles all-round from Hannah Levane who shines in the ensemble and as Michelle. Gavin Cornwall, Daniel Stockton, Gavin Alex and Tyrone Huntley expertly take on the male leads.

It takes a lot to make me laugh out loud and during Sister Act I'm doing that quite often. Anything where Whoopi Goldberg is involved creatively is sure to be a hit - and this definitely is. The costumes and set are impressive and far from standard. We have giant stained glass windows, a towering glittering statue of the Virgin Mary and equally sparkly habits.

You are bound to get into the habit of singing the songs for a long while after, and this has definitely the touring show to beat all others. The atmosphere was like that of a concert - Birmingham audiences know how to applaud! Sister Act is now in it's final two weeks and plays only at the Birmingham Hippodrome. If you're not local MAKE THE JOURNEY to Birmingham and it'll be worth every effort.

You can book tickets for Sister Act at the Birmingham Hippodrome here: http://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/mediacentre.asp?videoID=306&showid=1735