Theater review: Glittering 'Sister Act' is joyful but not glorious

MANILA — The 1992 hit movie "Sister Act," with its rousing song numbers and outrageous plot, seemed destined for the stage. And while it took nearly 20 years to get to Broadway, it still has that joyful spirit.

Last month, "Sister Act" kicked off its international tour in Singapore. It has now made its way to Manila, where it had a gala night on Thursday at the Theatre at Solaire.

Produced by no less than the movie's main star Whoopi Goldberg herself, "Sister Act" joins a long list of recent musicals that started as films like "Ghost," "Footloose," "Xanadu" and notably "Priscilla Queen of the Desert," not to mention the Disney musicals which are in a league of their own.

Veteran Disney composer Alan Menken was tasked to create new songs for this stage version, which is now set in Philadelphia at the height of the disco era in 1978.

The plot stays the same: Club singer Deloris Van Cartier witnesses her gangster boyfriend shoot an informant. She reports the crime to the police, who hide her in a convent where she is forced to disguise herself as a nun. While she finds it difficult to adjust to this cloistered environment, Deloris, now Sister Mary Clarence, finds her calling when she is tasked to lead the nuns' choir. By updating their repertoire — and costumes — with disco flair, she manages to save their church by filling up the pews with people eager to watch the singing nuns.

While Menken succeeded in capturing the period music, particularly the Barry White-inspired bedroom R&B numbers for the male characters, and the Motown-infused signature anthem "Take Me to Heaven," the songs didn't quite have the same organic appeal as the repurposed pop of "I Will Follow Him" and "My Guy" in the movie.

Some numbers like "Bless Our Show" and the ballad "The Life I Never Led" even hark back to his Disney hits.

As such, "Sister Act" often feels too mechanical, eager to entertain but doesn't provide any true spiritual uplift.

Having said that, the choral numbers with the singing nuns are natural crowd-pleasers. In fact, it took some time before "Sister Act" finally got its groove. When Deloris finally meets the choir in the rousing "Raise Your Voice," the musical found its momentum and purpose.

Lead star Dene Hill has that glamorous disco diva look and voice, but she lacks Goldberg's edgy vivacity such that her transformation from fabulous would-be star to worship leader wasn't as dramatic or inspiring.

The star performance here was given by Rebecca Mason-Wygal as the Mother Superior whose conversation-with-God solo, the Sondheim-esque "I Haven't Got A Prayer," was a real show-stopper.

Will T. Travis as Deloris's love interest nails his R&B solo "I Could Be That Guy," while Sophie Kim as the shy Mary Roberts was a vocal revelation as she belted out "The Life I Never Led."

The finale with the cast glittering in sequined costumes had that exuberant Eurodisco quality that's spirited, but fell short in getting the audience dancing in the aisles.

"Sister Act" promises a fun time at the theater but ultimately fails to take the audience to church.

"Sister Act" runs until July 9 at the Theatre at Solaire.