Theatre Review: Sister Act

Sister Act

Music by Alan Menken

Lyrics by Glenn Slater

Director Bill Buckhurst

Choreographer Alistair David

Photo credit Daniel Boud

Capitol Theatre Sydney

Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP

Sister Act has opened at Sydney's Capitol Theatre. Having seen Casey Donovan in 9 to 5, Rhonda Burchmore in several productions since Sugar Babies in 1987, Genevieve Lemon in The Australia Show in the 1980s, Steaming, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and numerous others, and having enjoyed the 1992 movie, expectations were very high. 

Deloris Van Cartier is a lounge singer who witnesses her gangster boyfriend committing a murder. With the help of a police officer, she seeks refuge in a convent. The convent choir makes our Australian Olympic female breakdancer seem talented. Realising the group’s shortcomings, Sister Mary Lazarus gives Deloris musical control.

I had almost forgotten that the story is set in 1978 until I saw the six, yes six mirror balls.

As Deloris, Casey Donovan is proving to be a genuine triple threat. In some of her dialogue she goes into a bit of Mae West, when appropriate. Of course it’s her singing where Donovan excels, doing the heavy lifting by being involved in 13 of the 19 musical numbers.

Even under the threat of church closure due to lack of funds, the stern, hard-nosed Mother Superior is resistant to change. There’s an easy comparison with “The Penguin” in The Blues Brothers. In forty years of watching Genevieve Lemon, I’ve yet to see her deliver a less than excellent performance, and on the night I couldn’t imagine anyone doing a better Mother Superior. On opening night she started one scene wearing a long night gown and head covering. A single wolf whistle came from the audience and she responded with, “Keep praying”.

Rhonda Burchmore plays the raunchier Sister Mary Lazarus. She again brings uniqueness to her role and provides a contrast with the more virtuous sisters. You can always rely on Burchmore to deliver it in all aspects of performance.

But it’s not left to the three leads to carry the show. Each of the other cast members contribute in their own ways. 

Henchman TJ is never going to be invited to join Mensa, and James Bell channels Jim Carrey. As gangster Clement, Theodore Williams seems to have been inspired by Linc from The Mod Squad, and Damien Bermingham eventually turns his Monsignor O’Hara into Elton John.

It’s a delight to see a Chinese performer cast in a non-racially specific role. As policeman Eddie Souther, Raphael Wong provides an impressive singing voice in his solo, I Could Be That Guy and projects a perfect balance of duty, vulnerability, hope and aspiration.

Also outstanding is Sophie Montague as the shy and conflicted Sister Mary Robert. With her superb vocals, Montague blew the roof off with her solo, The Life I Never Led. What a voice she has.

With strong production and musical values, and amazingly talented cast and creatives, this production of Sister Act lives up to the hype. Everyone left the theatre smiling and happy.