Sister Act as presented by Banbridge MS

Banbridge MS 

Sister Act 

Saturday 12^th April 2025 

Another trip up the M1, this time to see Banbridge Musical Society's production of the fabulous ‘Sister Act’. ‘Sister Act’ is one of those feelgood musicals that I never tire of seeing. It has pretty much everything. A complicated love story, tension, and intrigue, lots of comedy and cracking tunes and dance numbers galore that never fail to lift the spirits and bring a smile to the face. Banbridge's production delighted its capacity audience, in spite of a significant technical issue which threatened to derail proceedings in Act 2. By some divine intervention though, all was resolved after a break and we left raising our voices and singing all the way across the border. 

The Marketplace Theatre in Armagh is a stunning venue with three audience levels and a wonderfully unique ambience. I was delighted with the warm welcome in the very comfortable surroundings of the theatre's foyer. Everything appeared well organised and front of house personnel were in great spirits, setting a very positive tone for the afternoon's entertainment. 

Director Jordan Walsh-Rhodes had a good eye for comedy, generally. However, some elements of the performance style bordered on being ‘pantomime-esque,’ and at odds with the comedic style of the show. Pace was generally good and there was good use made of the playing space. There were some curious choices throughout. Curtis sang ‘When I Find My Baby’ to the audience, breaking the fourth wall as if singing in a concert. Eddie played his role in a very over-the-top manner, pushing the humour to extremes at times and playing for laughs. The point of Eddie's ‘I Could Be That Guy’ is that he goes from a mundane, humdrum existence to being something that he clearly is not and then reverts back to normal again after his ‘dream.’ But on this occasion, Eddie was left in his vest and boxer shorts, which I felt fell short of the intended message of the song. 

Brian Greene did an excellent job as musical director. His wonderful orchestra showed exceptional musicianship. There was an excellent orchestral sound throughout the show. Choral singing was generally very good, particularly amongst the nuns’ ensemble. However, things were not as secure during the ‘Lady in the Long Black Dress,’ in which the three gangsters struggled with the upper register quite a bit. Principal singing was quite strong, particularly Deloris whose powerhouse vocals really impressed. 

Choreographer Aveen Stewart devised some fun routines which suited, for the most part, the abilities of her cast. In Deloris's ‘Fabulous Baby,’ her two backing dancers were out of sync with one another, which was unfortunate given that it’s one place in the show where precision is required, as they are supposedly professional performers. ‘When I Find My Baby’ was a fun routine and the gentlemen really squeezed a lot of humour out of their performance. ‘Raise Your Voice,’ with its ragtag bunch of nuns, became a little bit of a free-for-all at times but it kind of worked given the context. ‘Sunday Morning Fever’ was a fabulous routine, a real highlight of the show, full of energy and exhilarating movement from all. And the finale number featured unbridled energy and joy in what was a very uplifting end to the show. 

Maille Meehan played everyone’s favourite ‘nun on the run,’ Deloris Van Cartier. This was an exuberant, larger-than-life characterisation and yet there was plenty of heart and warmth underneath her sassy exterior. She got so much humour from being out of her comfort zone in Mary Queen of Angels but this humour was nicely balanced with Deloris’s vulnerability. Ms. Meehan's accent was a little inconsistent, I felt. She appeared to have a bit of a Southern drawl at times, which was far removed from downtown Philadelphia. Vocally, Miss Meehan really came into her own in the fabulous ‘Raise Your Voice,’ which was a tour-de-force performance. 

Rosemary Kelly was a stern but caring Mother Superior, trying her best to control the whirlwind that was Deloris. Ms. Kelly was a wonderful actress, very clever in her delivery and understanding of the narrative. As stern as she was, this was balanced skilfully with her cutting wit and her many put downs, played with delightful deadpan delivery, were comic highlights. Ms. Kelly had a very expressive, tuneful voice. ‘Here Within These Walls’ was beautifully contemplative. 

Laura McGuckin did very well as the shy postulant, Sister Mary Robert. She balanced innocence with courage, and her transformation from being shy and reserved, to her empowering display of newfound confidence in the wonderful ‘The Life I Never Led’ was quite the journey. Ms. McGuckin is to be commended highly for her focus when her microphone failed during ‘The Life I Never Led.’ She never let it affect her performance and her voice carried beautifully when Mr. Greene brought the orchestra level right back. 

Aoife Corr was an enthusiastic and exuberant Sister Mary Patrick, oozing optimism, and life. She was bubbly and upbeat, with infectious good humour that brought a smile to our faces every time she set foot on the stage. She was always in character and her “powerful instrument” was incredibly impressive as she belted out top notch vocals. 

Jacqueline Mathews was a very funny Sister Mary Lazarus. She was boisterous and full of character in what was a most hilarious portrayal. Lines were a little insecure at times but Ms. Mathews' characterisation was such that we forgave the odd hiccup. Her showcase rapping went down a storm. 

David McClelland kept his own Northern accent for the role of Monsignor O'Hara. I felt that Mr McClelland needed more directorial input and support with delivery of dialogue at times. However, he did well and was extremely funny as he bopped along to ‘Take Me to Heaven,’ losing himself in the moment. 

Peter Gallagher was a menacing and sinister Curtis. He was a formidable antagonist, bringing great tension to proceedings with his strong presence and great accent. ‘When I Find My Baby’ was well sung but delivered largely to the audience, which was unusual for the style of show. Something else that was quite unusual was his unnatural handling of the gun in the convent, as he swapped hands depending on which way he pointed it. 

Ruairí McAlinden played sweaty lawman Eddie Souther, who harbours a secret affection for Deloris. This was a very over-the-top characterisation, largely played for laughs, with a nod and a wink and an over awareness of the audience. I felt that Mr. McAlinden needed to consider his lines more and to trust the book. He was clearly very talented, but the characterisation tended to run away from him at times. He did extremely well in the scene with Deloris in his apartment in Act 2, in which he was calm, sincere, and believable. 

Canice McIlvenna, Nathan Hawthorne, and Darryl Galloghly played the trio of gangsters, Pablo, Joey, and TJ. They had great fun throughout and played very well off one another. ‘When I Find My Baby’ had a lot of comic business, which the three of them revelled in. Some very funny movement and falsetto, which was played up to the nines, made this a very memorable number. All three struggled with the upper register in ‘Lady in the Long Black Dress,’ but they made up for it with their conviction and commitment to the comedy. 

There was great support too from Jordan Cummings as Sister Mary Martin-of-Tours and Jessica McGreevy as Sister Mary Theresa. 

The wonderful ensemble of nuns did very well. Their choral singing was generally very strong and for the most part they were in tune with the show's narrative, acting and reacting appropriately. The bigger dance numbers were full of energy and commitment and everyone on stage was clearly enjoying themselves. 

Andrew McKnight was stage manager and he and his crew ensured very slick movement of trucks on and off. Casters were visible on the trucks and it is always best to mask these if possible. Mr. McKnight used cast at times to move certain set pieces and this helped to keep the show moving at a good pace. There was a slight hiccup when a fully lit Wurlitzer jukebox came on as the police station was being set up but it was struck quickly when the error was realised. 

The set was simple but effective with wall flats and a number of trucks which came in to suggest various locations. I felt that the choice to use a black backdrop was problematic, as there were so many black costumes on stage. I was delighted when the blacks eventually opened to reveal the very detailed stained-glass windows. These worked so well when lit from behind. I understand why they were held for their dramatic reveal but I felt that they might have been used for all of the convent scenes to enhance the overall visual impact of the show. The flying cross, complete with LX, looked great but the blinding intensity of the lights on the cross was quite uncomfortable. 

Lighting was generally quite good. I felt that more thought needed to be given, at times, to the suitability of some effects for the various scenes. The chasing lights for Deloris's opening ‘Fabulous Baby’ were very busy. The use of haze was very effective. However, with the haze machine being visible on stage, we were very aware of haze being pumped on and this became quite distracting. The lighting operator lost their way during ‘Raise Your Voice,’ as the various vignettes played out after the initial rehearsal, and cues were out of sync. The LED battens built into the set worked well. I liked the swirling lights for ‘Lady in the Long Black Dress’ which added to the visual comedy. There was very effective use of backlight and haze for the title number, ‘Sister Act,’ creating a gorgeous, dramatic picture which really complemented Ms. Meehan’s powerful performance. 

Things started off well from a sound point of view. Balance within the orchestra was exceptionally good and, for the most part, cueing was very good for dialogue and balance between vocalists and orchestra was very strong. However, in Act 2 things went awry as we lost most microphones on stage. Cast battled through and Sister Mary Robert in particular did very well to get through ‘The Life I Never Led’ with no amplification. Full credit to MD, Mr. Greene, for sitting on the orchestra as much as possible to ensure that Ms. McGuckin could be heard. Eventually, the right decision was made and the show was stopped whilst a solution was found. To be fair, when things eventually resumed, the sound issues had been largely rectified. It was an unfortunate technical hitch on the last day of the show but these things do happen in live theatre and the show, as always, must go on. 

Props were generally well sourced and looked authentic and suitable. There was good dressing in the police station. The typewriter looked well as did the hat stand, the notice board, and various other pieces. White tablecloths in the convent were badly in need of an iron and the bar did need to be dressed as it was completely bare. Small details are important. The clock on the Mother Superior's desk was facing the audience rather than facing where she would have been sitting. All other props were appropriate to the era. 

There was good attention to detail in the costume plot. Deloris's coat, the nuns' habits, vestments for the Monsignor were all appropriate. Eddie's trick costume change worked well with his white suit; however, I did question him being left in boxer shorts and vest at the end of the number. Deloris's leopard-skin dress looked very well and was very authentic to the 70s era. Eddie's hat was frequently pulled down over his eyes, casting a shadow over his face. The nuns' glitzier costumes were a delight, in complete contrast to their white nightdresses. Their white and silver habits for the “Pope gig” were particularly striking and the prisoner’s uniforms added to the comedy. 

I felt that hair and makeup, generally, could have benefitted from a little bit more attention to detail. Deloris's two backing singers at the top of the show in ‘Fabulous Baby’ needed more of a co-ordinated, glamorous look to emphasise the fact that they were professional performers. Ms. McGuckin's nails were perfectly manicured, which wouldn't have been the case for a postulant, of course. Generally, more detail to hairstyles of the 1970s would have really added to the visual impact of the show. 

This was an entertaining ‘Sister Act’ from Banbridge Musical Society and, in spite of the technical issues in Act 2 and having to stop the show for a period of time, the audience was very much swept along on its feel-good vibe. Well done to all and keep being fabulous baby!

Pat McElwain 

Gilbert Adjudicator 2024/2025