Sister Act At Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Amy Peacey
I do love a musical, especially those which are based on the iconic movies that I spent my time watching, growing up. I was excited to review the Sister Act production on its opening night at the Pavilion theatre in Bournemouth.
The Pavilion theatre is an iconic feature in Bournemouth and is situated just off the seafront. It was wonderful driving to the theatre passed the beach on a lovely summers evening. We parked at the theatre for convenience but that does come at a cost. To park the car for 4 hours it was £13.90. I would definitely recommend taking advantage of the cheaper car parks within the town as the theatre is accessible from many of them.
Being a traditional theatre, the Pavilion has lovely features and is a joy to attend. The only downside is that the seats are quite compact and there isn’t a great deal of leg room. However, due to the size of the theatre wherever you are seated you have an exceptional view. We were seated in row V towards the back of the theatre in the stalls, but you could see the stage very clearly. Being a summer evening the theatre was a little on the warm side. Many visitors had fans with them, which was an excellent idea.
The Sister Act story see Deloris, a night club singer, hiding in a convent under the guise of a nun after she witnesses a murder carried out by her married boyfriend, Curtis. Deloris, AKA, Sister Mary Clarence teaches the covenant choir to sing and turns them into a soulful choir. The story is ultimately about community and friendship – it is simply heart-warming.
West End star Landi Oshinowo plays Deloris, her voice is incredible. Wendi Peters, best known for playing Cilla in Coronation Street played the slightly grumpy Mother Superior. The two together were excellent and it was great during the show to see the relationship between the two develop.
My favourite character was Sister Mary Roberts played by Eloise Runnnette. Eloise on her professional debut is the youngest of the nuns. She is shy, softly spoken, and a bit of a walkover. Her friendship with Deloris lets her truly find her voice and she stands up to Mother Superior to protect her friend.
Just before the interval Sister Mary Clarence is teaching the nuns to sing – to raise their voices and sing loud and proud. I had goosebumps and had a massive smile on my face during this part of the show. It was so great. The song Raise your Voice is brilliant and worked really well with the various voices in the choir.
The show features the original music by award-winner Alan Menken. The songs are inspired by Motown, soul and disco. You have no choice but to have a little boogie in your seat.
I would recommend the show to anyone of any age. Some of the scenes are probably not appropriate for young children but the music is joyous and uplifting. It was a great way to start the week and I left the theatre feeling upbeat.
The Sister Act production is at the Pavilion theatre from Monday 19th August to Saturday 24th August. The tickets range from £24.50 – £47.50. There are evening performances all week and matinee performances at 2.30pm on Wednesday and Saturday.
Rating: 5/5
You can get further information here: https://www.bournemouthpavilion.co.uk/events/sister-act-2024 or call the box office on 0300 500 0595. The Bournemouth Pavilion is located at Westover Road, Bournemouth, BH1 2BU