Here’s why my kids think your kids will love Sister Act The Musical.
MasterCard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands has erupted to the sounds of the ’70s, with disco lights, big hair and enough gold lamé to make even Elvis’ eyes water. Most of us remember the Whoopi Goldberg movie, but is Sister Act good enough to transfer onto the stage as a live musical, and is it really a family show? Always on the hunt for new things to do in Singapore with kids (and a sucker for musical theatre), I set off with my three children aged between nine and 12 to find out. We loved it.
1. “The tunes are goooood!”
Eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken’s score really shines. This is the guy who wrote the music for Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid, so he knows how to write a tune that appeals to kids. While this show is aimed at an older audience, the way Menken has woven together threads of soul, funk and big disco anthems will appeal to music lovers of all ages. It was great to see my kids grooving down to the ’70s sound.
2. “It’s sooooo funny!”
Nuns putting on sequinned habits and shaking their booty… how can that be anything but hilarious? When the Sisters broke into their first disco hit, my daughter watched it cringing from behind her hands, but couldn’t resist breaking out into laughter. There were also some side-splitting performances from the bad guys, and the elderly Monsignor who showed he was no stranger to rap.
3. “Who would have thought Delores would make friends with a bunch of nuns?”
As the lights went on in the first few minutes and Delores took to the stage in thigh-high boots to sing for her married lover, I had a slight panic that I should have researched the show’s suitability for my nine year old a little more thoroughly. But I had nothing to fear. There were a few references to the sleazier aspects of ’70s-era Philadelphia, but these were subtle enough to fly over the heads of my kids. The story is really about friendship, and that appeals to any age.
4. “It’s all just so BIG!”
The show is straight from Broadway and you can tell. There surely is nothing like the thrill of seeing a big show performed well. The stage isn’t huge at MBS, but the combination of glitzy costumes, sharp acting and huge sound made it a larger than life experience. Our kids witness mind-boggling special effects everyday on movies, games and youTube. It’s great to see how a live performance can still make their eyes light up.
We all left the theatre buzzing, and we can’t wait for the next big show to hit Singapore. Did you see Sister Act? What did you and your kids think?
Sister Act is showing at the MasterCard Theatre, Marina Bay Sands until 28 May 2017. Tickets are available from SISTIC starting at $65.