As we advised you last year, the London stage is getting into the habit of hosting nuns. Sister Act is on its way, and judging by the momentum of the marketing machine that Londonist saw in operation yesterday, it is set to become the must see show of the summer. If you can get tickets. In the interests of theatrical research we attended a preview of the preview, if you can get your head around that.
The producers (Stage Entertainment, who are behind Hair Spray amongst other things, and Whoopi Goldberg) are at pains to stress that this is no re-hash of the film. Even though it obviously is. But there is new music, real hip-swinging disco stuff written by Alan Menken (who might just be the most famous composer that no-one has ever heard of). And there is a new Deloris, the utterly gorgeous Patina Miller (pictured). She can sing, her legs are about 10 miles high, and she has the most unfeasibly perfect smile that we’ve seen in a while. X factor? This girl has Y and Z. Furthermore, the cast of nuns (bizarrely all of whom have male counterparts) are fabulous (considering rehearsals have barely begun). The British end is to be held up by Sheila Hancock as the Mother Superior, whilst national teddy bear Ian Lavender is bound to make a practically perfect Monsignor Howard.
So we're hooked. It promises to be comforting and fun: a dose of hum-along feel-good escapist therapy for a malaised and recessed British public. Whoopi-de-doop.
You can book your tickets here.
