Wandsworth Fringe 2015
Sister Act
PLOS
Genre: Musical Theatre
Venue: Putney Arts Theatre Ravenna Road SW15 6AW
Festival: Wandsworth Fringe
Low Down
PLOS takes on Sister Act – the huge musical comedy in both the film and theatre world. The creative team comprised of: Damian Sandys, Della Bhujoo and Steven Geraghty, did an astounding job in taking on this 1992 award winning film starring Whoopi Goldberg.
Review
Sister Act is the story of, Deloris Van Cartier, a washed-out bar singer who witnesses her two-bit gangster boyfriend, Curtis Shank, (played by Kob Yeboah) commit a murder in cold blood. Fearing for her own safety, Deloris, (played by the multi-talented Emma Coffey) runs to the Philadelphia police station to report the crime. Upon hearing Deloris’s plight, her long-time secret admirer, police officer ‘Sweaty Eddie’ immediately places Deloris in the witness protection program in a most unlikely place – a convent. Still in search for stardom, Deloris, takes over the disastrous church choir and eventually brings the best out of her sisters, vocally. In their new-found popularity, Curtis discovers Deloris’s whereabouts and the chase is on.
This magnetic show was high energy from its first musical number and kept the pace throughout. From the singing, acting, to the dancing, this gifted cast displayed a host of stellar performances; one may find it too difficult to find a particular favourite moment as there were so many. But if I had to just mention two, they would be Sweaty Eddie’s (played by Peter Beaven) musical number “I Could Be That Guy” and “Fabulous Baby!”.
The costumes were brilliantly done to suit the ’80s disco era and the sensational jazzed up habits worn by the nuns were a show-stopper in itself. I would be remiss if I didn’t take the time to mention the world-class band, they were absolutely incredible.
The show was a delightful treat and brought the audience to roaring standing ovation at the show’s end. Overall this production of Sister Act is a knock-out and a definite must see. And to just think I almost missed this show – it must have been some divine intervention that didn’t allow that to happen.
