REVIEW Sister Act at the Hippodrome last night was like putting on a pair of old gloves you’ve just re-found – it was a joyful and comfortable experience.

A stroll down memory lane with generous dollops of freshness.

Taking the lead in this musical tale of friendship and redemption is Landi Oshinowo who firmly plants her own stamp on wannabe nightclub singer Deloris Van Cartier.

Oshinowo simply radiated charisma right across the curtain line with flashing eyes, the broadest of smiles, throaty laugh and a wondrously full-of-soul singing voice.

Picture by Mark Senior. s

For anyone not familiar with the movie or the stage show, in a nutshell the plot concerns Doloris being discovered by baddies witnessing a murder by their trigger happy hoodlum leader. She is put into protective custody in a crumbling, almost forgotten convent until needed to give evidence.

Ian Gareth-Jones brings a bad boy coolness to Curtis Jackson, the mobster out to stop her testifying and Alfie Parker puts in a scene stealing performance as her saviour, lovestruck all-round good cop Eddie Souther.

Picture by Mark Senior. s

Sharing joint headlining is Coronation Street legend Sue Cleaver as the Mother Superior. She makes a powerful journey from prude to proud; being the last of the nuns to fall under the intoxicating spell that Deloris brings to their holy order.

Amongst the mirth and mayhem, Dolores wreaks on the Sisters she turns the choir from a ‘plug your ears’ cacophony to a ‘clap your hands get down and party whilst God smiles on you’ inclusiveness.

Special shout outs from me from the totally together cast are Phillip Arran making the merriest Monsignor O’Hara, Eloise Runnette as Sister Mary Robert who brought the house down with her ‘The Life I Never Led’ and Julie Stark as the droll, street-wise Sister Mary Lazarus.

Picture by Mark Senior. s

Morgan Large’s costumes added another dimension where nuns, cops and villains are all bedecked at the finale in astonishing sparkling renditions of their day clothes.

This Sister Act tour, imaginatively directed by Bill Buckhurst with a brilliant band under Musical Director Tom Slade is another triumph for Leicester’s Curve Theatre as they are a co-producer.

New life breathed into a modern-day classic – like the rest of the audience I went home glowing.

Sister Act runs at the Birmingham Hippodrome until Sunday, May 18. Click here for times, tickets and more information.

*****

Review by Euan Rose

Euan Rose Reviews