There is something quite exhilarating about seeing a group of nuns on stage fast-footing it to rock music and singing their lungs out, which is what, for the first-half anyway, much of Wellington Musical Theatre’s production of Sister Act is.

A high-octane production where director John Goddard and his team of Michael Nicholas Williams as musical director and Stacey Neale as choreographer have pulled out all the stops to make it a fast-flowing show about nightclub singer Deloris van Cartier (Lahleina Feaunati) and her encounter with a group of nuns in the convent of the Queen of the Angels. [More] 

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A fascination for nuns, whether on screen or stage, doesn’t seem to be waning anytime soon. The Producer, Michael Highsted recognises this, profiling a timeline of nuns who have hit the stage and big screen since the 1960s in the programme. For those raised in the 90s there’s none more recognisable than the Whoopi Goldberg-driven movie of the same name, set in the 1970s.

Showgirl Deloris Van Cartier (Lahleina Feaunati) is passing her nights singing in a nightclub owned and operated by her very married and neglectful boyfriend, Curtis (Richie Rewa). She doesn’t want for much. Singing is where it’s at for her until she inadvertently witnesses Curtis killing someone. Panicked she reports this to the Police, now led by a former childhood friend, Eddie (Joe Mara). A plan is agreed upon to hide her, for her own protection, in a place where no-one would ever look for her – in a convent. And so, Sister Mary Clarence is born.

The arrival leads to a crisis of faith for the Mother Superior (Stephanie Gartrell), who is very accepting and content with the current order. But the church, within a neighbourhood that ain’t what it used to be, has hit hard times and a diminishing church roll. And the only one who seems to be cognisant of this and what’s required for the churches future sustainability is Monsignor O’Hara (Lloyd Scott).

Enter Deloris balking at the restrictions, ‘Here Within These Walls’.  But soon both she, the nuns and even a rather reluctant Mother Superior acclimatise.

The sass Deloris directs towards Mother Superior is so even-tempered and respectful, it doesn’t veer towards the obvious tussle for power that was evident in the movie. Instead the struggle suffered by Mother Superior is very inner. That soon becomes external as Curtis learns of where she is; ‘When I find my Baby’.

Sister Act, The Musical pays homage to 70s music and Television shows. The riffs and dance moves complemented by the set (John Harding) and costumes (Lesley Burkes-Harding) are recognisably, undeniably, fantastically 70s.

Special mention to Curtis’s goons, Joey (Ben Emerson), TJ (Jonathan Morgan) and Pablo (William Deane) who are so entertaining, they threaten to upstage everyone else. But of course, they can’t because the nun’s exposure to the outside world – beautifully evoked by Sister Mary Robert (Jess Old) in ‘The Life I Never Led’ – is where the emotional heft of the story is. Sister Mary Clarence/ Deloris has affected them and by the final numbers it’s apparent they have affected her: ‘Sister Act, Bless our Show’.  

Lloyd Scott as Monsignor O’Hara seems to float across the stage. He embodies his role so completely I’m wondering if he’s actually going to make it to his all night stint at Radio NZ. Thank you Joe Mara, as ‘Sweaty Eddie’ who even hams it up, (to the audience joy), at final curtain.  

But of course Sister Act, The Musical is – as it was for the movie – the vehicle for the actor playing Deloris and here Lahleina Feaunati absolutely shines. When her voice hits the high register, it has such sweetness I want more.

From the setting and all its many smooth transitions, and the costuming to the script and, of course, to the music, this is a fantastic quality production. It is completely absorbing and entertaining.  

There’s only so many times I can describe the singing as gorgeous; the harmonising is so very lovely. What lets it down, which could be due to opening night ‘technical issues’, is minor feedback and then ‘rustling’ issues with sound. At one stage when a microphone seems to go dead, to her credit the nun still busts it out.  

Partly through Act 1, I realise the smile has not left my face. There’s something very uplifting about this production, which of course is the story, but also the performers themselves, whom I marvel at. How powerful it must be to stand on stage, as your character in that moment, and tell that story, stretching your lungs to the heights of the theatre. That takes control and a real understanding of your artistry.

By the Act 2 they’ve all relaxed into it. And it seems like they’re having a good time which means we are too. The audience is interactive and involved and whoops are spread throughout many of the performances especially the solos with ensemble pieces: ‘I Could Be That Guy’; ‘Fabulous Baby’.

When Deloris ‘confesses’ to her real identity – “I’m not really a nun [beat], I’m not really a Catholic” – she elicits a huge belly laugh from those around me. But actually, so much of the scripting does. And what I do enjoy, is hearing the phrasing. There’s no rushing. The wording doesn’t drop out and there’s no falling out of accent. (Having attended musicals in the Opera House where that has happened before, I understand the disservice it does to the performer and your resulting enjoyment when this happens.) 

Towards the end there’s even a ‘Jake the Muss’ moment.

Over the next 13 days there’ll be some depth gained which is just the natural course of a production’s run. Respect to the cast and crew for sustaining a season of that duration.  

Sister Act, The Musical hits all the right spots. It’s funny. It’s entertaining. Getsome.

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