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Nomads Musical Theatre
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The Nomads Musical Theatre web site is at www.nomadsmusicaltheatre.co.uk.
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Last production

Where

Corn Exchange, Newbury.

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Review of Sister Act

1st to 4th October 2025

Review from the NewburyWeekly News.

The large cast share the spotlight in Newbury Nomads’ joyous Sister Act

This year Newbury Nomads celebrate 50 years on the local performing arts scene. Over that time their aim has been to provide opportunities for young (and not so young) people to take part in musical theatre. Their latest production, Sister Act at the Corn Exchange recently, was no exception, offering a great opportunity for the large cast to share the spotlight in this joyous show.

Based on the well-known film of the same name, Sister Act tells the story Deloris Van Cartier, the nightclub singer forced to go into hiding in an unsuspecting convent having witnessed a mob murder, where she rescues the struggling choir and turns everyone’s lives upside down.

Alison Hoult was brilliantly cast as Deloris, harnessing her many talents as actor, singer and dancer to capture the sass and sensitivity of this pivotal role. Special mention to Freya Wilson and Anna Schmandt as her backing band, who provided some excellent moves and backing vocals as the show opened. The gang pursuing Delores offered a chance for some perfect comic characterisation.

David Seamons, in his first principal role with Nomads, was delightfully sleazy as Curtis, with Maciek Hulme, Jamie Ledwith and Matt Collins as TJ, Pablo and Joey entertaining the audience with vocal strength and impressive pelvic thrusts in When I Find my Baby. Neil Harvey turned in another fine performance as ‘Sweaty’ Eddie Souther, the hapless policeman who finds sanctuary for high-school sweetheart Delores in the convent – with some touching moments in I Could Be That Guy.

The energetic cast of nuns and male ensemble delivered some well-paced musical numbers in the convent scenes. Grace Green as the stern but wise Mother Superior, Hannah Gibbon as the warm-hearted Mary Robert, Alice Parker as Mary Patrick and Kate Brown as Mary Lazarus all conveyed their respective struggles and aspirations with great skill, with Stuart Honey contributing a fine cameo as Monsignor O’Hara, the kind priest with a realist’s eye on the budget.

Well done to Amy Billington for well drilled choreography, and to MD Nic Cope (who underwent a papal transformation in the closing number) and his orchestra for a rousing soundtrack.

Big congratulations too to Carly Thompson and Hannah Maskell as first-time director and producer, a sure sign that Nomads are in safe hands for the next 50 years.

MARK AND JENNY LILLYCROP

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