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Frome Musical Theatre Company
Sister Act
The Memorial Theatre, Frome
14th May 2015
Since Menken and Slater’s Sister Act was made available to the amateur world it has been a resounding success for groups all over the country. It fits their bill in so many ways: Many, many roles for women, great musicality, relatively simple (if multitudinous) costume, relatively simple staging and a huge, existing fan-base from the film and the professional theatre versions’ success. The story is very simple and accessible and the show is packed with great numbers. What more could anyone ask? Well…… the talent to put it on helps a great deal. Frome’s Musical Theatre Company has a fearsome reputation for quality and success. In addition the town’s two highly successful theatres ensure that Frome is a centre of excellence, delivering high quality performers in strength and depth. Director and Choreographer Martyn Knight had a great place from which to start.
Casting the principal roles of Deloris, Eddie, O’Hara, Mother Superior, Curtis and Mary’s Robert, Patrick and Lazarus is clearly key. The selection of the experienced and expert team of Dora Bishop, Ryan Hughes, Norm Langley, Joanne Plenty, Jon O’Loughlin, Nicole Wooldridge, Tabitha Cox and Lisa Kendall was a great move. All would step up to the mark with the expected élan, delivering gutsy, tuneful, funny performances. Add to the mix some great supporting performers including Oli Wareham as TJ, Scott Ward as Pablo, Anna Lee as Michelle, Daisy Mercedes as Tina, Fin Collinson as Ernie, Victoria Withers as Mary Martin-of-Tours and Kerry Ogden as Mary Theresa plus (!) a huge chorus of gorgeous nuns all of whom left nothing on the stage, and you have the formula for real success.
A real success the show is too. Other commitments meant that I had to attend the Saturday matinée performance rather than an evening show- something I try to avoid as occasionally matinée audience reaction is a little more muted and equally some casts do not, perhaps, give their finest performance as a result. This audience was, indeed, a little less responsive than some but the cast certainly did not let this affect their performance and gave us ‘full force’.
The show itself, regardless of which production I have seen, always feels like it takes some time to hit its stride: the opening few scenes can feel a little stilted, the real business and joy only really kicking in once we meet the nuns. I did feel a little of this at Frome though the opening numbers Take Me to Heaven and Fabulous Baby worked well enough and whet our appetites for what would follow.
Every performer worked well and with a high level of energy there were, of course high spots and less high spots for me. I loved Ryan Hughes’ as Eddie giving us I Could Be That Guy; Jon O’Loughlin as Curtis along with his sidekicks delivering high camp in When I Find My Baby; Joanne Plenty’s Mother Superior singing I Haven’t Got A Prayer and, of course ALL of the ensemble numbers by the nuns. There were stand-out performances from Ryan Hughes, Tabitha Cox and Jon O’Loughlin. Dora Bishop as Deloris had her moments but was a little ‘one paced’ for me. I would have liked to see the more tender side of Deloris emerge from the brash, showy and shouty Deloris. Be under no illusion, however: Dora’s was a terrific, energetic performance featuring some astonishing singing.
For me it was the fabulous Nuns who completely stole the show: You all looked to be having the times of your lives and gave us energy, great movement, great sound and a real sense of joy.
The production team supporting the Director: Assistant Director Victoria Withers, Dance Captain Karen Harley, Stage Manager Chris Isaacson and Producer Sally Langley along with talented Musical Director James Finbow should be very proud indeed of their work.
It is testimony to the energy and sheer hard work of an enormous group of people both on stage and behind the scenes that you have all delivered yet another quality show for Frome Musical Theatre Company.
Many thanks for inviting me to watch.