Roe Reviews Theatre

This musical was made for anyone who’s had a role model but particularly the bonds you make in church and choir. With @beverleyknight back on home turf professionally for this first time in her career this isn’t a night to miss with @zo.ndlovu matching her A game with harmonies and powerhouse vocals that bounced off the ceiling.

Set in 1946 Mississippi, Sister Rosetta Tharpe has joined forces with young local quartet singer Marie Knight to tour the Southern States. With a night long ‘trial rehearsal’ they fill the church they’re sleeping in with music, agony aunt sessions and putting the world to rites. All to help Marie boost her confidence and get her classical church vocals to have a bit more swing.

The story itself felt so natural, Knight and Ndlovu bouncing off each other’s energies for almost 100 minutes where none of them leave the stage. Accompanied musically by four talented performers who were hidden by on stage curtains and opened when big numbers began and they gave EVERYTHING! Featuring tunes like ‘This Train’ , ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Peace in the Valley’, rapturous applause filled the auditorium every 5 minutes.

While the story proves to me that jukebox musicals are getting better as the years go on, the later half of the show some felt somewhat rushed when the first half felt a slow but gripping pace. So by the time I was understanding it, I had missed some key moments between the two. It made me think could this be a 2 act musical? But what we got that night was FABULOUS and is a great road down memory lane of what it took for those two to finally join forces.

You can see Marie and Rosetta at the Wolverhampton Grand until this Saturday so get booking quick with Captioned and the Audio described performance on Saturday at 14:30.