Sister Act - UK Tour

She still has a few moments where she falls off, but generally I was quite impressed considering that she's not a singer and I doubt is trying to be one at this point.
I think it would've been fascinating to see Whoopi in the lead role alongside Jennifer as they are both not vocalists - I wonder if it would've worked? Beverley makes this production work in my opinion.

Saw it tonight...

Before I say anything further, I just want to say that I really loved the original production and saw it a couple of times. I genuinely think that it's a great show, with great songs.

However, this production is a masterclass of why not to stunt cast for the sake of it. Saunders was horrific. Genuinely shockingly bad. She made the same "you're pitchy" comment to avoid the big note going into the final song. Clive Rowe also wasn't great and seemed to struggle; both him and Saunders tended to talk large portions of their solos, rather than sing it (which, in Saunders' case was a blessing.)

I am also sick of this trend of changing parts of a show for the sake of it. Slight lyric changes throughout, some songs reworked a fair bit to remove lyrics, a new Mother Superior song (which could have worked, if another actor was playing the role... - I think this might have been taken from the Broadway version, as it replaced 'Here Within These Walls (Reprise)?). "How I Got the Calling" has been removed entirely and replaced with the broadway replacement song, which isn't anywhere near as good and actually damages the story. For example, it removes a lot of the context of Sister Mary Roberts having not been "called". The problem with this is that when she decides she wants to leave with Delores in Act 2, it makes literally no sense (in fact, someone near me shouted "WHAT?" when she said it - it literally came out of no where, with no context or anything. It made no sense in the slightest. She then goes into her solo, which again, without the previous information, seems really odd and jarring.) I also wasn't sure why they added a new nun: Sister Mary Theresa. Which again, adds nothing: it actually took away as it took the entire character of Sister Mary Lazarus? It's a really odd decision. The decision to remove Mother Superior's lines when they find out the Pope is coming also makes her decision to defend Delores seems really odd because there is no build up. I gather most of these changes are from the broadway version?

And yes, as mentioned, the staff there are awful. As you enter, they are literally screaming at people, telling them to go to all doors. We weren't allowed to take a bottle of water in. Sound was also pretty bad in some places. But the audience were awful? People getting up to the toilet throughout, etc. Really treating it like a concert.

Such a shame that the show has ended up in this position.

I was also there last night and we were so it is pot luck.

Not a fan of the venue. A huge venue so I was expecting a huge row of toilets. Nope... hardly any. Really ridiculous.

As for the show. I adored it. Took me back to those days at the Palladium. The versions since have been nowhere near as good but this was back up there.

Beverley absolutely flawless.

Easy five stars from me.

Does Beverly do all performances?

Bev is doing all performances apart from the two dates she's missed that were pre-advertised.

Sandra is standing by, not alternate

Huh! That's absolutely not what I'd been lead to believe - I guess they classed her as alternate because of those two dates she did officially for Bev? What an odd thing.

A very sad interview with Keala Settle in today’s Guardian (available online) in which she says Sister Act will be her last musical. I wondered why she wasn’t going for/getting huge leading roles over here and turns out she really doesn’t want them.

It’s Lizzie Bea who sings The Life I Never Lead! Keala plays Sister Mary Patrick.

Super conflicted over how I feel about this show.

Sister Act is an old favourite of mine - great memories of the Palladium production and the first UK tour with Cynthia Erivo.
The score is a certified bop - Raise Your Voice one of the best ensemble musical theatre numbers of the last 30 years and you can fight me on that - and it's hysterically funny.

Now, this production is cheap as hell. They somehow do manage to make the stage look pretty full, but i did get frustrated at the lack of automation. Pews could come on by themselves, same with Eddie Souther's office. Little bits like that would make it look not quite so bad. The costume designs are ok, but it's nothing like what we were originally treated to (and I will never understand the logic of having Saunders in trainers for the finale!)

Which brings us on to Saunders...
As others have said, she is pretty terrible. For me, the biggest problem being she just wasn't funny enough. She's gurning her way through the show, when the laughs are built into the script - say it properly and you'll get the laugh! Sheila Hancock did! They should have cut 'Havent Got A Prayer' because she just...can't sing - and I can't imagine Lesley Joseph being much better on tour tbh.

That said, it does otherwise sound insane. When Keala Settle is your third best singer on the stage you know you're on to a winner.
Lizzie Bea is stellar, with a stunning rendition of The Life I Never Led (which does make less sense with this version of the script - It's Good to Be A Nun doesn't explain her story in the way How I Got The Calling did...)

And then we have Beverley Knight.
Look, she's not a comedian, and loses virtually every laugh that Patina Miller and Cynthia Erivo got out of the script.
But then she opens her mouth and she sings them both off the face of the earth.
Genuinely couldn't tell you the last time I heard someone sing like that - I probably never have - and she riffs for her life, putting 150% into every number (her rendition of Sister Act reprise is probably worth whatever you paid for your ticket).
Mind-blowing - there's no one else like her.

It's got a lot going for it, but it also has a lot going against it. The venue is horrid, the staff are some of the rudest I've ever encountered, and it's just a barn. Someone described it as event theatre, without the event, and that makes sense to me. It's built for a megastar to reprise her film role, and instead we got a spectacular singer giving it her all.

3 stars - worth checking out for the voices, but not a multiple repeat visit show like previous productions have been.

You must have been very disappointed! 😉

I absolutely adored the original London production of SISTER ACT. I only went to it because SPRING AWAKENING closed early and I needed something else to see in its place. I went in with no expectations and was absolutely blown away.

I then went to see the Craig Revel-Horwood version at Curve and absolutely hated it! (I think I documented it in quite a lot of detail either on here or the previous board). The changes they made for Broadway were unnecessary, the leads were not strong enough (with lowered keys I think), and the production was just lame.

I know that it is a different production, but I have to say that this has put me off going to see this, as I don't want to have the same reaction again. I love the piece too much.

What justification do they have for taking water off people? Especially in this weather! I carry water with me everywhere so always annoys me when places don’t let you take it in. Anyone know if they’d take it off you if you have it in one of those expensive keep cool type bottles or would they just make you tip the water out?