The production currently stars Beverley Knight and Ruth Jones. But what have critics had to say about it?
London Theatre.co.uk: **** “Alan Menken and Glenn Slater’s earworm number “Take Me to Heaven” is a delight in the hands of Knight, who shimmers like a human disco ball in costume designer Morgan Large’s gorgeous, glittering mini dress, complete with knee-high purple boots.”
West End Best Friend: **** “Morgan Large’s set and costume design are versatile bringing a night club and convent to the heart of the Dominion Theatre with beautiful detail, complimented by Tim Mitchell’s kaleidoscopic lighting design. Alistair David’s choreography is pure joy, fitting sequences together wonderfully, ranging from simple and effective to fast and frenetic in the best sense. Bill Buckhurst’s direction is fluid, allowing the characters room to breathe into their own choices, and refreshingly for West End direction doesn’t feel prescribed or antiseptic.”
The Telegraph: **** “Watching the sisters in full flow, boogieing away in rainbow-sequinned habits, is sheer theatrical bliss.”
LouReviews: **** “Director Bill Buckhurst and his team have created a night out, which is light, vibrant, and funny, while embracing the diversity of race and sexual identity and the power of friendship.”
Jonathan Baz Reviews: **** “The entire show is entirely charming and genuinely hilarious with the cast’s joyful performances providing such an infectiously bright atmosphere that it would be a shock if anyone left that theatre without beaming from ear to ear. Sister Act really will take you to heaven and make you want to raise your voice!”
The Stage: **** “Beverley Knight and Ruth Jones star in the feel-good musical comedy, with a pitch-perfect ensemble cast.”
Musical Theatre Review: ***** “Confidently directed by Bill Buckhurst, this production of Sister Act feels bold, bright and full of colour, with a great sense of movement, and is a real pleasure to look at. It’s the same production that is touring the country, but it’s been upscaled for the Dominion to great effect, bigger, bolder and more joyful than ever. Lighting design by Tim Mitchell feels even more powerful, and Morgan Large’s sets look even better than before (including a fabulous ‘Glinda-eqsue’ mirrorball bubble for Deloris to glide in on in one particularly brilliant moment).”
All That Dazzles: ***** “The world can be a scary place at times, increasingly so of late, and sometimes you need a bit of unbridled joy and escapism. That is one of the biggest strengths of Sister Act – for a couple of hours you get to forget life’s problems and lose yourself in to pure euphoria.”
City Am: ***** “For her West End debut Jones brings with her sass, confidence and a charming informality. This version of Mother Superior has spent thirty years in the States “via Wales” – a new addition to the script which, strung out in her strong accent, gets one of the biggest laughs of the night. Later, she puts her feet up on her desk to show off dragon socks. It’s neat and not overdone, and she can sing, too: Jones’ Mother Superior is pitched just right: she could give you a good scolding, but she also emanates warmth.”
Broadway World: **** “This Sister Act isn’t a musical which extends the premise of the 1992 film too much. Its saintly virtues lie in how it emphasises the inspiring camaraderie that was glazed over somewhat in the Nineties by the frankly ludicrous storyline and Goldberg’s shameless showboating. Remakes are generally viewed as Bad Things, barrel-scraping money makers there purely to squeeze as much cash as possible from nostalgic fans. In this case, though, Wilson and Buckhurst have improved on Ardolino’s creation, mostly thanks to the work of a sterling cast, Menken and Slater’s songs and Morgan Large’s ingenious set.”
To book tickets visit: https://sisteractthemusical.co.uk/london/