Melbourne Reviews

The classic film starring Whoopi Goldberg as Dolores Van Cartier, the nightclub singer sent to a nunnery to hide from her hitman boyfriend Curtis after witnessing a violent murder, seems the perfect premise for a musical.

The fish-out-of-water scenario, sassy script and film soundtrack of Motown hits, fit for the ever-popular jukebox musical genre.

The musical adaptation of Sister Act made its West End debut in 2009 and has taken some creative license from the original 1992 film. The 1990s setting has time travelled back to the 1970s and certainly fits the disco-themed score. Other than that, this change in time-period serves no real purpose.

This is the major change, the reimagined score created by Disney royalty, Alan Menken (who wrote the music for The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast amongst others) has produced a Motown inspired soundtrack that while fun and upbeat, lack the pizazz of their muse. It also begins to sound very repetitive and does little to assist or drive the narrative.

The script is familiar, sharp and witty, and the cast are given a multitude of puns and one-liners to play with, alongside aspects of slapstick comedy that help lift the at times lagging plot line.

Rhonda Burchmore as Sister Mary Lazarus is pure joy, getting some of the best lines and moments within the show. Break dancing and demonstrating a baritone range I never new she had, Burchmore plays the salty sister with glee.

Another moment of musical theatre perfection is the trio of stooges aka the hapless henchmen of Curtis who steal the scene in act two with their boy-band vocals.

Geneivieve Lemon as Mother Superior has the most character development and brings a grounded sincerity to the role. Special comedic moments provided by Sally Bourne as Sister Mary Martin of Tours are especially delightful, drawing the eye with her wild facial expressions.

But it is the queen, Casey Donovan we have come to see. As a long-term fan, I will never tire of hearing Donovan sing and the style of music in Sister Act suits her perfectly. Donovan continues to grow as an all-round performer, and after taking on the role of Judy in 9-5 The Musical (originally played by Jane Fonda) Dolores Van Cartier is almost too easy.

The direction appears to be to lean into the urban 1970s Philadelphia accent which can come across as insincere at times and to play the show as both serious and silly. It’s here that the story, the music and original film all seemed to be muddled together, as the tension between serious storytelling and razzle-dazzle musical theatre leaves the audience stuck in limbo.

However, the heavenly vocals of the choir and incredibly talented cast are consistently impressive, and the audience is receptive to the upbeat musical moments. Sister Act is a fun night out, an easy watch with generally low stakes and spectacular harmonies.

Go on. Get thee to a nunnery.