[Ad-gifted] Last night was such an uplifting and fun-filled night at The Regent Theatre in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, as we were invited to watch SISTER ACT‘s opening show.
As a huge fan of the American 1992 comedy movie starring Whoopi Goldberg, my expectations were high and I am glad to say that with the direction by Bill Buckhurst and music by Oscar winner Alan Menken (lyrics by Glenn Slater), the musical was thoroughly entertaining and proclaimed the power of sisterhood.
SISTER ACT first made its debut in London in 2009 and has since toured the UK, taking a short break during the COVID pandemic. The musical which is set in 1977 tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier, a budding lounge singer who requires police protection after witnessing a murder carried out by her married gangster lover, Curtis Jackson (played by Ian Gareth-Jones). She is then whisked off by her childhood crush, Officer ‘Steady’ Eddie Souther (played by Alfie Parker) to be hidden by the nuns at the church of Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow in Philadelphia. Deloris reluctantly has to change her worldly ways in order to protect her identity and fit in with the nuns.
With the church in ruins, the Diocese is no other option but to sell the church. Deloris soon gets her calling to revive the church choir and their fame not only starts bringing in more donations for the church’s upkeep but also fame, putting Deloris in grave danger. Will Curtis and his three sidekicks finally find Deloris?
What I thought of SISTER ACT?
SISTER ACT is such an iconic film, where everyone remembers it and those (like my children) who recently watched it for the first time, equally enjoyed the song and dance. To bring this into a musical theatre set-up is not easy. I was hoping to hear some of my favourite tunes from the movie, but alas all the songs belted out in the musical are original numbers, which nevertheless were fantastically performed by the actors. The lighting and stage backdrop was perfectly created to allow for the smooth change of scene from one scene to another.
I love Lesley Joseph (who plays Mother Superior) and first watched her playing Miss Hannigan in Annie years ago. I can safely say, her magic and stage presence is still there. Her portrayal of Mother Superior was sumptuous with the right amount of grumpiness and comedy. I enjoyed listening to her performance of “I haven’t Got A Prayer” which is praiseworthy.
Deloris is such a loud character and it is only natural that I found myself making comparison to Whoopi Goldberg when watching the musical last night. Honestly, it does take a bold person to fill her shoes and Landi Oshinowo has succeeded in doing just that. Her strong vocals could be evidently heard in her rendition of “Take Me To Heaven”, “Fabulous Baby” and “Sister Act”. Landi is such a professional and her talent is evident in her every move.
Casting by Stuart Burt was spot on with each nun being perfectly casted. I could hear the chatter from the crowd during the interval asking who their favourite nun was. It was a hard decision to make as they were all so animated and in character, belting out tune after tune in unison.
Lizzie Bea (who plays Sister Mary Robert) was such a joy to watch! Her vocals are exceptional and her personality shone through. Another favourite is animated performer Isabel Canning (who plays Sister Mary Patrick) and Wendy-Lee Purdy who plays the dreamy Sister Mary Theresa. Huge mention also goes to Alfie Parker who kept the audience in stiches with his dance moves in “I Could Be That Guy”. The crowd were in owe when he has his clothes ripped off him, not once but twice!
SISTER ACT is such a lovely musical to head to, expect a night filled with soulful songs, lots of glitter, disco balls and fitting choreography by Alistair David. A great night out for friends to celebrate sisterhood and the bond that binds us.
CAST
Landi Oshinowo – Deloris Van Cartier
Lesley Joseph – Mother Superior
Lizzie Bea – Sister Mary Robert
Alfie Parker – Eddie Souther
Ian Gareth-Jones – Curtis Jackson
Isabel Canning – Sister Mary Patrick
Jackie Pulford – Sister Mary Lazarus
Phillip Arran – Monsignor O’Hara
Lori Hayley Fox – Sister Mary Martin of Tours
Wendy-Lee Purdy – Sister Mary Theresa
Bradley Judge – TJ
Damian Buhagiar – Pablo
Callum Martin – Joey
Esme Laudat – Michelle
Amber Kennedy – Tina
Castell Parker – Clemont
Joseph Connor – Cop/Bartender
Ceris Hine – Onstage Swing
Eloise Runnette – Onstage Swing
Sheri Lineham – Onstage Swing
Michael Ward – Dance Captain/Onstage Swing
CREATIVES
Director – Bill Buckhurst
Choreography – Alistair David
Set and Costume Design – Morgan Large
Lighting Design – Tim Mitchell
Sound Design – Tom Marshall
Musical Supervision – Stephen Brooker
Casting – Stuart Burt
Original music by Alan Menken and Lyrics by Glenn Slater
How much are the tickets?
Tickets are priced from £13 to £64. For Groups (10 or more), call their dedicated Groups team on 020 7206 1174 or email groupsales@atgtickets.com. A transaction charge applies to online/phone bookings.
How do I book tickets to watch SISTER ACT?
Tickets are now on sale and available from the Box Office, by calling 0844 871 7615 or by visiting ATG’s website here.
How long is the show for and what are the timings?
The show will be running until Saturday, 30 September 2023. Evening shows will be performed at 7.30pm while the matinee will be on Wednesday and Saturday at 2.30pm.
Where is The Regent Theatre in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent?
Piccadilly
Stoke-on-Trent
ST1 1AP
Tel: 08448717649
About Regent Theatre
The Regent Theatre is a theatre in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Constructed in 1929 as a cinema, it is one of several theatres in the city centre and one of two owned by the Ambassador Theatre Group. The building was converted for full-time use as a theatre in 1999, and since then has hosted a number of shows and musicals. The theatre is also the northern base for the Glyndebourne Touring Opera.
Tips / Information
- Masks and Covid passes are not mandatory in the Theatre at the moment
- Ample public car park spaces are available near to the Regent Theatre. The nearby John Street car park is the closest and it closes at 11.30pm while the Pottery Centre carpark charges a fixed rate of £1.50 (after 6pm) and this carpark closes at 12am (midnight)
- Accessibility: On arrival at the theatre there are nine steps leading from the front doors to the foyer. There is a small lift suitable for wheelchairs and buggies
- There is lift access to all levels from the foyer (with an audible announcer)
- There is an infra-red sound enhancement system in the auditorium
- Guide, hearing and other working dogs are welcome in all parts of the theatre, and water is provided for them on request
- Accessible toilets are available
You may also want to read this:
La Bamba! heads to The Regent Theatre
Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane at The Regent Theatre
Review: Heathers The Musical at The Regent Theatre
Photo Credit: Regent Theatre/Mark Senior
16 comments
I would love to watch this act in person, that would be amazing. Sister Act, it seems so awesome.
The cast are so talented and the costumes is fantastic
I’d love to see this in person. I loved all the movies, and the show sounds fantastic.
You would have absolutely loved it, best to see when they are touring next
This is one show I would love to see, I have heard so many great reviews on the show and who doesn’t love a good musical
Agree, a good musical is so crucial and based on an even better movie as well
I honestly haven’t seen the film but it sounds and looks like a good film that translates over well on stage. Very lively show and sounds like a lot of fun!
Yes it was such a fun evening indeed
The combination of Whoopi Goldberg’s iconic character and the talented team behind the musical, including Bill Buckhurst and Alan Menken, seems to have brought ‘SISTER ACT’ to life in a fantastic way. The storyline is intriguing, and I can’t wait to see how Deloris’ journey unfolds on stage.
It absolutely was a night to remember, we had a great time
Went to see the afternoon performance of Sister Act Wednesday 27th September. Absolutely blown away, the whole cast fantastic.
Thank you for sharing that, so glad you enjoyed it as well
It looks like a lovely show. It’s been long I have not seen any good show. I would love to watch this show.
Hope you do get the chance to watch this live
I’m sure it would be difficult to fill Whoopi’s shoes. Glad they found a good actor who did a good job.
Agree, we enjoyed the performance indeed