AFTER a hellish two-year wait and a quick cast change, Sister Act finally graced the stage in London.
And boy, was it worth waiting for.
As promised fans were greeted with Jennifer Saunders as Mother Superior, but Deloris Van Cartier was no longer played by Whoopi Goldberg, instead British superstar Beverly Knight donned the habit.
The play tells the story of Deloris, a nightclub singer who witnesses a murder and is forced to hide in a nunnery for her own protection.
Saunders is at her comedic best as the religious leader faced with a fake nun corrupting the real ones.
She hands out perfectly timed jibes, facial expressions and loud expressions of woe.
However, it is a shame that Saunders uses her native English accent rather than an American one like the rest of the cast.
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Despite the chaos caused by Deloris, you can't help but root for Knight's version of the club singer and her budding romance with the bumbling cop Eddie Souther (Clive Rowe) is sweetly portrayed.
The larger cast, featuring Keala Settle, Lesley Joseph, and Lizzie Bea, fit in perfectly around their starring ladies and comedic moments come thick and fast.
It's a heavenly mix of friendship, singing and good eventually triumphing over evil.
I spent almost the entire production with a smile on my face and roaring with laughter.
That said, it is a shame that the show's villain Curtis Jackson, played by Jeremy Secomb falls flat in the face of the leading ladies.
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I struggled to find the character threatening or believable as a gangster.
In fact, he was forgettable when in scenes with his hilarious and incredibly incompetent henchmen Pablo, Joey, and TJ.
Unlike their leader, the trio, played by Damian Burgha, Tom Hopcroft and Bradley Judge, are a highlight of the production with their ridiculous plans and outlandish dance moves.
The staging of the hit show is stunning, especially as the whole stage is made slightly circular giving the feel of a stained glass window.
It deftly moves between club, monastery and police station without taking you out of the show.
Sister Act, while it has the occasional bum note, is packed with laughs and sees Saunders and Knight giving some of their best work.
Sister Act
Eventim Apollo, London
★★★★
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