Review: Sister Act - Baldoyle Musical Society

Society name: Baldoyle Musical Society

Show name: Sister Act

Adjudicator date of attendance: 22/04/2026

Baldoyle Musical Society’s production of ‘Sister Act’ had a most fitting home in St. Mary’s Secondary School. The venue itself seemed perfectly suited to a story centred around convent life and, with the society staging productions there for more than fifty years, there was something kind of appropriate about a show set in the 1970s unfolding…within those walls. This was a production full of warmth, joy and infectious energy. The comedy worked so well, the score was performed with real gusto and there was a great sense of fun from start to finish. While certain technical issues, especially on the sound side, occasionally impacted the overall polish of the production, there was still much to enjoy in a show with such strong performances and genuine heart.

Front of house set the tone for the evening with a warm and welcoming atmosphere from the moment I arrived. Audience members were greeted at the door by members of the team dressed in nun costumes. It was a simple touch but one that tied in perfectly with the tone of the show. The hall was packed with an enthusiastic audience and a sense of anticipation and excitement was palpable. Everything was very organised and ran very smoothly. More than anything else, what stood out was the friendliness of the front of house volunteers.

Director Richie Smith brought considerable experience to the production and had a very strong understanding of the comedic style that makes ‘Sister Act’ work. There were lots of nice directorial touches throughout the evening, with scenes flowing smoothly and an excellent sense of pace throughout, particularly during the hilarious confessional scene which had great comic precision. Mr. Smith made very effective use of the playing space. The different levels across the stage were utilised well, while the two apron areas stage left and stage right provided good options and allowed for great fluidity between scenes. The tracked gauze revealing the nuns’ choir was particularly effective. Overall, this was confident and experienced direction, with a strong understanding of how to keep a musical comedy moving.

Eoghan Connolly did excellent work as musical director, getting a tremendous sound from both orchestra and cast. He assembled a superb group of musicians who brought real colour and energy to Alan Menken’s score. The principal singing across the board was very strong but it was the ensemble work that stood out most over the course of the production. Underscoring was also particularly well handled. Every word could be heard, and there was a very good sense of balance between band and stage. ‘Sunday Morning Fever’ in particular was extremely well mixed. Unfortunately, the production was hampered by persistent feedback issues, particularly during the larger production numbers. This was frustrating because so much of the sound design and musical balance was working extremely well. It was unfortunate, as the quality of the musicianship and choral work was so good.

Sinead McCrohan did really impressive work as choreographer, creating routines that were not only energetic and well-rehearsed but also full of character throughout. ‘When I Find My Baby’ was great fun and extremely well performed by Curtis and his henchmen as they captured the swagger and comic menace perfectly. The nuns’ ensemble work in both ‘Raise Your Voice’ and ‘Take Me to Heaven’ was absolutely superb. These were exceptionally sharp, precise routines, executed with huge confidence and energy by the cast.. I loved the staging of ‘Lady in the Long Black Dress’. The decision to have the ‘nuns’ appearing to dance with Joey, TJ and Pablo was inspired and suited the playful tone of the number perfectly. Excellent work throughout.

Kate Headon was excellent as Deloris Van Cartier, capturing both the larger-than-life confidence of the character and her underlying warmth extremely well. She had superb stage presence and was full of charisma throughout. Deloris can sometimes be overly brash but Ms Headon ensured that there was good balance between the edgier side of her character and the comedic side. Her singing throughout was consistently strong, with excellent phrasing and a real understanding of the style. What impressed most however was her comic performance. She had an excellent sense of pace throughout. She never forced the humour and that came across so naturally. She had great physicality which really enhanced the comedy and her reactions and expressions were very funny throughout. A thoroughly entertaining Deloris Van Cartier.

Kathryn Gibbons brought a very interesting interpretation to the role of Mother Superior, leaning far more into the comedy than is often the case. It was a bold approach and, for the most part, one that worked well. Vocally, she was excellent. ‘Here Within These Walls’ was beautifully sung with warmth and sincerity. She really pushed the humour in ‘I Haven’t Got a Prayer’. The laughs came thick and fast and her comic instincts were clearly a hit. A very confident and highly entertaining performance from Ms Gibbons, full of personality, great vocals and excellent comic timing.

Nicola Smith was superb as Sister Mary Robert, playing her character’s journey from shy, nervous novice to confident young woman with great skill. Mary Robert’s timid nature was there from the outset and Ms. Smith had a gentle sweetness and vulnerability which made the audience invest in her. She had a lovely presence on stage throughout and a very natural comic instinct. Her voice was absolutely stunning. ‘The Life I Never Led’ was superbly performed. Vocally it seemed almost effortless, with excellent control, clarity and honesty. A wonderful portrayal overall, combining strong acting, comedy and outstanding vocals throughout.

Áine Murray brought wonderful energy and personality to the role of Sister Mary Patrick. This was a performance that was upbeat, animated and extremely funny. Ms Murray had boundless enthusiasm and a most excitable nature which made her a firm audience favourite. Ms Murray had excellent comic timing. She had a strong vocal too, delivered with over-the-top enthusiasm which served the comedy well.

Megan McInerney was very entertaining as Sister Mary Lazarus, with great comic energy and personality. She created a wonderfully eccentric nun with great confidence and fun. Her rapping was a huge highlight, performed with fabulous energy and physicality. Ms McInerney clearly enjoyed the absurdity and humour of the moment.

Adam Kelly gave a very likeable and funny performance as Eddie Souther, with an awkward sincerity and charm that suited the character so well. His comic timing was excellent. There was a lovely warmth to the performance which made him so endearing to the audience. Mr. Kelly also had great chemistry with Deloris. I particularly enjoyed the sincerity with which he admitted to having had a crush on her for years. Vocally, he was impressive. ‘I Could Be That Guy’ was one of the standout moments, combining his lovely singing voice with an excellent comic performance. He was also a very good mover and this really added to the comedy of the role. A confident, charming and thoroughly entertaining performance throughout.

I’m sure Anthony Ennis will not mind me saying that he possesses one of those faces made to play a villain. He brought a wonderfully malevolent presence to the role of Curtis Jackson, creating a character who felt threatening while still managing to keep the comedic side of the character front and centre. This was a superbly judged performance. Mr. Ennis resisted the temptation to overplay the role. He had excellent stage presence throughout, always looking comfortable and in control. He sang well throughout, particularly in ‘When I Find My Baby’, which was performed with great style and energy.

There was also excellent work from Eoin O’Connor as Joey, Declan Flynn as TJ and Robin Murray as Pablo. Collectively, the trio worked extremely well together, creating a highly entertaining and very funny dynamic. ‘When I Find My Baby’ was superbly performed by the three men. Vocals may not always have been the most secure but they more than compensated with their energy, exaggerated physicality and excellent comic business. Mr O’Connor brought great swagger and charm to Joey. His mop choreography was hilarious and he carried himself with great confidence and style throughout. Mr Flynn brought wonderful flamboyance to TJ, along with excellent comic timing and a very strong singing voice. Mr Murray also contributed strongly to the trio’s dynamic and he fully embraced the humour of the character with his wonderful falsetto during ‘Lady in the Long Black Dress’, which was particularly funny.

Karl Hoffman’s portrayal of Monsignor O’Hara was one of the real highlights of the show, for me. This was a clergyman who would not have looked out of place wandering around Craggy Island. Mr. Hoffman made the choice to lean into the character’s Irishness and it worked beautifully. Mr. Hoffman played the role with great understatement, which in turn made the comedy work so well.

Sinéad McMullen and Yvonne Keane both gave very strong performances as Michelle and Tina, Deloris’ backing singers. They had terrific energy and worked very effectively alongside Ms Headon. Both were wonderfully expressive and full of sass, with strong stage presence and excellent commitment. ‘Take Me to Heaven’ was performed with great energy and confidence. Excellent work from both.

The ensemble work was exceptional, but it was the nuns’ ensemble in particular that lifted the show to another level and took us to heaven. Every single performer was full of personality, energy and delicious quirkiness. ‘Raise Your Voice’ was quite stunning. Every face on stage was completely focused and committed. The standard of movement, singing and acting in the ensemble was consistently excellent. The collective energy and enthusiasm was one of the show’s greatest strengths.

James O’Keeffe and his stage management team kept things moving efficiently and scene transitions for the most part flowed smoothly and kept the pace of the show. There was good use made of cast members to strike benches, furniture and smaller set pieces, helping to ensure slick transitions throughout. There were a few occasions where crew members became caught in lighting during transitions and slightly tighter coordination in this area might have improved the overall polish further but these moments were relatively minor. Overall, this was solid work which helped to keep things moving effectively throughout the evening.

The set design was simple and functional and this approach suited the limitations of the venue very well. The convent setting was established by using wood panelling, religious iconography and carefully chosen dressing pieces. The use of the different stage levels and the two apron areas stage left and stage right, was very effective and allowed scenes to flow naturally. The central stage area had adequate space for the large ensemble numbers. Projections played a big role in creating context and location and, for the most part, were very well chosen. The various slides helped to establish place quickly without interrupting the flow with large scene changes. The strip lighting built into the steps and framing the screen also worked very well. The papal flags used for the Pope’s arrival were another simple but effective touch which lifted the atmosphere and sense of occasion.

The lighting design complemented the storytelling very well. Given the relatively simple physical set, the lighting was an important storytelling tool in creating atmosphere and injecting excitement into the dance numbers. The cross-lighting of the nuns’ choir behind the gauze was especially effective. The way the sisters appeared and disappeared through the lighting states created a lovely piece of theatrical. There was also nice attention to smaller emotional moments within the show. The decision to isolate Deloris and Mother Superior at the top of ‘Spread the Love Around’ as they embraced following their reconciliation was a lovely touch. Lighting during the larger production numbers such as ‘Raise Your Voice’ really added to the excitement.

Sound was an area where the production experienced mixed fortunes on the night attended. On one hand, there was clearly a great deal of very strong work being done. The orchestra sounded excellent throughout, particularly given the challenges of a school hall acoustic. Vocal balance for the most part was also very good. Underscoring was particularly well handled. Dialogue could always be heard. The choral sound across the production was another major strength. There were significant feedback problems throughout the show, particularly during the big ensemble moments involving multiple open microphones. There were also quite a number of missed sound cues across the performance. At its best, the sound design was very impressive. It was therefore frustrating that recurring technical issues arose throughout.

Costumes were very well handled throughout. Ms Headon’s costumes as Deloris worked particularly well, expressing the character’s confidence and larger-than-life personality. The glittering fabrics and leopard print contrasted nicely with the more restrained convent costumes. The gangster costumes for Curtis and his henchmen were also very effective, with the exaggerated seventies styling adding greatly to the comedy. The traditional nuns’ habits were perfectly conservative, while the addition of the gold sequins provided the perfect transformation. There was one small costume issue during ‘I Could Be That Guy’, where Eddie’s Velcro trouser split became visible slightly ahead of the reveal. That said, the gag itself still landed very effectively with the audience.

Props were very well handled throughout, with strong attention to detail. While ‘Sister Act’ is not a prop-heavy show, the items used on stage were carefully chosen and generally looked authentic for the 1970s. Deloris’ hip flask immediately helped establish her rebellious character, while the Wurlitzer jukebox was a nice touch. The nuns’ hymnals, rosary beads and crosses all contributed to the authenticity of the convent setting. There was also lovely comic use of props. TJ’s flowers, Joey’s oversized teddy bear and Pablo’s chocolates all worked very well . The only slight issue which jarred was during the bar scene, where Deloris was visibly ‘drinking’ from an empty bottle. It was a very small detail but one which broke the illusion slightly.

Hair and makeup were in very good hands throughout. Curtis’ wig in particular worked extremely well and suited Mr Ennis perfectly, creating a wonderfully sleazy seventies gangster look which added greatly to his presence. The nuns were very well presented throughout, with makeup and hair choices appropriately understated for the convent setting. The only thing which felt slightly out of place was the ageing makeup used for Mother Superior, specifically the forehead lines which appeared quite obviously drawn on. In a larger space the effect might have been less jarring but in a more intimate setting like St. Mary’s hall, it unfortunately stood out.

For over half a century, Baldoyle Musical Society has continued to bring musical theatre to audiences in St. Mary’s Hall. What came across most in this production was the collective spirit and sense of community within the society. In an era where long-established community groups face increasing challenges, Baldoyle Musical Society continues to thrive through passion, commitment and a clear love for what they do. Productions such as this remind us exactly why groups like this matter so much. Long may that continue.

Pat McElwain

Sullivan Adjudicator 2025/2026