West End reviews of Marie & Rosetta starring Beverley Knight and Ntombizodwa Ndlovu – @SohoPlace Theatre, London [Updated]

"The Beverley Knight-sung electric gospel classics are the stars of this enjoyable bio-drama about early rock’n’roll legend Sister Rosetta Tharpe" (West End)

".. it’s a privilege and a treat to see British soul goddess Beverly Knight play Rosetta in this intimate two-hander, a play with songs that’s all about the music."

"Knight is a singer who raises the hackles on the back of your neck... But she does more here, channeling Rosetta Tharpe in a stomping dramatic performance that conveys the passion, resilience, and sheer physical hard work of her life on the road."

"... Ntombizodwa Ndlovu, a new talent we’ll be seeing more of. Ndlovu is a lovely foil, conveying Marie's potential with a nice blend of arch shyness and tear-jerking lung power."

"George Brant’s script feels like an affectionate act of tribute and is, for the most part, a solid scaffold on which to hang the glorious songs."

"The action feels rushed and clumsy towards the end, when the years speed forward and horrific biographical events are spliced with tribute quotes"

"Every time they open their mouths to sing, any quibbles with the production are forgotten and the audience is rapt: finger-tapping, off-beat clapping, irrepressibly grinning. In these moments there is a higher power being channelled, and it’s pure joy to witness it."

"A tribute to the godmother of rock’n’roll" (Rose Theatre, Kingston)

"Beverley Knight’s extraordinary vocals more than compensate for the occasional moments of sentimentality in George Brant’s play about the legendary gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe"

"George Brant’s play... creaks in places, but Monique Touko’s production — a collaboration with Chichester Festival Theatre and English Touring Theatre — is lifted by incandescent vocals from the R’n’B singer Beverley Knight."

"The guitar and piano are actually played by members of the astute band, led by musical director Shirley Tetteh, that spends part of the time concealed behind net curtains on Lily Arnold’s self-consciously anodyne set."

"Studded with rock and gospel hits" (Rose Theatre, Kingston)

"Beverley Knight stars in a musical about a forgotten rock’n’roll icon that bursts with defiance, mischief and joy"

"In George Brant’s intimate two-handed play, studded with rock and gospel hits and directed by Monique Touko, Knight digs deep to embody the Arkansas-born singer"

"We watch as the songs are workshopped as part of the story: paused and rehashed, rather than sung through. The technique is effective at capturing the concentration, passion and intensity of its subjects, holed up and devoted to perfecting their craft."

"The show’s energy dips around two thirds of the way through, when Grant’s book seems unsure where to take the narrative. But this dialling down also marks a necessary shift of tone to prepare us for the events that curtailed Tharpe’s trailblazing career."

"This electrifying, heartfelt story shines a long-overdue spotlight on Rosetta and her singing partner Marie Knight, celebrating two trailblazing women in American music history." (Rose Theatre, Kingston)

"This intimate two-hander, directed by Monique Touko, deftly balances humour, heart, and history."

"Knight displays razor-sharp comedic timing and the most expressive physicality; she perfectly captures Rosetta’s rebellious charm and showbiz flair."

"... Ntombizodwa Ndluvo, who stuns with her sublime vocals."

"A two-act production might have allowed more time to fully explore Rosetta and Marie’s evolving relationship and a bit more depth into their characters. At times, the narrative tells rather than shows"

"... the production is both intimate and electrifying."

"Beverley Knight and Ntombizodwa Ndlovu give stunning vocal performances" (West End)

"The script is ponderous, but thrilling songs bring the story of musical pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe to life"

"The neglected story of musical pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe is ripe for retelling. But the strength of this bio-drama lies in the stunning vocal performances of the great Beverley Knight and newcomer Ntombizodwa Ndlovu, rather than in George Brant’s pedestrian script."

"Monique Touko’s stripped-back co-production... has a gutsy energy and has been neatly repurposed for this in-the-round West End venue."

"Soul legend Knight, as usual, is better than the material she’s been given, and she is matched here in passion and power by Ndlovu as Marie Knight"

"It feels churlish to mention it, but it’s unfortunate that Rosetta’s thrilling ability to play blues guitar — on which 50 per cent of her reputation with aficionados rests — is outsourced"

"It’s good to see these two extraordinary, unfairly sidelined musical icons celebrated, though, and the ponderousness of the script can be forgotten during the exultant songs"

"At @sohoplace, Marie and Rosetta arrives in the West End powered by gospel, guitar riffs and the formidable presence of Beverley Knight." (West End)

"The evening’s undeniable centre of gravity is Knight. Her portrayal of Rosetta is charismatic, funny and commanding, but it is her singing that truly stops the show."

"... Ntombizodwa Ndlovu makes a confident West End debut as Marie. Ndlovu brings warmth and restraint to the role, creating a thoughtful counterpoint to Rosetta’s swaggering charisma."

"However, the romantic dimension of their relationship never quite reaches the emotional depth it promises. The script hints at intimacy and longing, but the love story feels underplayed, leaving moments that could have carried real emotional weight feeling somewhat muted."

"Under the direction of Monique Touko, the production moves briskly between humour, sharp verbal sparring and electrifying musical numbers."

"Ultimately, Marie and Rosetta is a production elevated by extraordinary musical talent but held back by a script that never quite matches its subject’s legacy."

"Beverley Knight’s mighty voice soars as the godmother of rock’n’roll" (Rose Theatre, Kingston)

"Didactic two-hander sees trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe face down racism with song as she tours the segregated US south with her fawning protege"

"West End musical stalwart Beverley Knight plays Tharpe with aplomb, casting her as a fun-loving elder facing racist America and conservative Christians with an unshakeable sense of song. Stage newcomer Ntombizodwa Ndlovu, meanwhile, is endearing as Marie, fawning over her hero while reassessing her morals."

"The music is immediate and brilliant, with Knight and Ndlovu reaching a soaring harmony on the swaggering Rock Me"

"The script, however, is a disappointment. Overly didactic, with swathes of dialogue telling the audience about Tharpe’s life story or the realities of racism but showing little"

"Magnificent singing, pedestrian script" (Rose Theatre, Kingston)

"Beverley Knight and Ntombizodwa Ndlovu shine as the gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharp and her younger sister, but are undermined by the script"

"The great soul singer and actress Beverley Knight often transcends the theatrical material she’s given. So it proves again in this two-hander"

"The singing from both leads is magnificent, the acting passionate but the script by American writer George Brant is pedestrian and heavy on exposition. In some ways this is inevitable. Although Tharpe was hugely popular in the 30s and 40s and inspired everyone from Elvis Presley to Jimi Hendrix, she has been shamefully sidelined."

"The story is a fascinating one, but as the two characters meticulously explain it to one another, you find yourself longing for the songs. Fortunately, they are worth the wait."

"Knight’s performance is full of warmth and generosity"

"Monique Touko’s production powers through the script’s clunkier passages with brisk efficiency and the 14 numbers (including Didn’t It Rain, Peace in the Valley, and the raunchy Four or Five Times) are blisteringly executed."