Perth theatre lovers' prayers have been answered with the arrival of 'Sister Act', the musical adaptation of the 1992 box office smash starring Whoopi Goldberg and the late Maggie Smith.
This vibrant, hilarious and heartfelt musical will easily convert even the toughest of musical sceptics with its holy trinity of toe-tapping tunes, a divine cast and a hilarious yet emotionally moving story.
'Australian Idol' alum, Casey Donovan stars as Deloris Wilson-Van Cartier, a lounge singer whose dreams of fame and fortune are halted when she unwittingly witnesses her gangster boyfriend, Curtis murder a man. Deloris races to the police station to report the crime to Lieutenant Eddie (Raphael Wong), a former classmate of Deloris who also happened to have a huge crush on her in high school, who suggests she goes into witness protection until they can gather enough evidence to charge Curtis. He arranges for Deloris to go into hiding in a place Curtis would never consider looking for her – a convent.
The arrangement between Deloris and the Nuns is no match made in Heaven, as Deloris’ carefree and vivacious manner is a stark contrast to the humble lifestyle of The Holy Order of the Little Sisters of Our Mother of Perpetual Faith who spend their days in silence and prayer. But when the sisters decide to take a leap of faith and allow Deloris to revamp their choir, they see their congregation, donations and popularity increase much to the annoyance of the convent’s Mother Superior (Genevieve Lemon) who believes Deloris is leading her fellow Sisters astray.
Image © Daniel Boud
Unlike the 1992 film which featured covers of beloved soul and gospel songs, this stage adaptation features all original music. Swapping out 'I Will Follow Him' and 'My Guy (My God)' are tricky shoes or in this case habits to fill, but if anyone can, it’s eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken, composer of beloved Disney musicals 'The Little Mermaid', 'Beauty And The Beast', 'Aladdin' and 'Pocahontas' and his frequent collaborator Glenn Slater ('Tangled', 'Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure'). The duo more than answer their calling and deliver with their toe-tapping numbers which infuse '70s disco, soul and Motown with Menken’s signature Broadway ballads. Energetic ensemble numbers 'Raise Your Voice', 'Sunday Morning Fever' and signature Menken ballad 'The Life I Never Led' performed by Sophie Montague had the audiences enthralled, but it's Wong’s hilarious performance of 'I Could Be That Guy' that easily scores the biggest laughs of the night.
Also scoring plenty of laughs is stage icon Rhonda Burchmore as scene stealer Sister Mary Lazarus, while Donovan’s powerhouse vocals remind audiences exactly why they crowned her the winner of the second season of 'Australian Idol' more than 20 years ago. Genevieve Lemon also graces the production with her commanding stage presence as the conflicted Mother Superior.
While there is plenty to praise about 'Sister Act', the musical’s fast pacing and large ensemble of characters stops the musical from fully capturing our hearts. There’s not enough time to emotionally invest in Dolores’ journey or to really understand what her and Mother Superior have learnt from coming into each other’s lives. The stakes never feel particularly high and the big reveal that Dolores has been lying about being a Nun and the Sisters' feelings of betrayal doesn’t really pack as much of an emotional punch. Dolores’ development is shortchanged by ensuring each lead has a solo and their moment to shine, and it's actually Montague’s turn as Sister Mary Robert that makes for the show’s most compelling and emotional arc as opposed to its lead protagonist.
Regardless, 'Sister Act' is a divine musical that will entertain and delight audiences of all ages thanks to its glorious score, dazzling costumes, vibrant choreography and stunning set pieces – and that in itself deserves an Alleluia.
