'Sister Act' revival headed for the West End with Whoopi Goldberg and Jennifer Saunders

Amy West
·Contributor
Updated
Whoopi Goldberg is reprising her iconic 'Sister Act' role in a West End stage revival of the hit 1992 comedy musical (Touchstone Pictures)
Whoopi Goldberg is reprising her iconic 'Sister Act' role in a West End stage revival of the hit 1992 comedy musical (Touchstone Pictures)

Rejoice, Sister Act fans! Whoopi Goldberg is set to don a habit once more and reprise the role of Sister Act’s Deloris Van Cartier in an upcoming West End production of the hit crime comedy musical.

The Oscar-winning actor will star on stage opposite Jennifer Saunders, who is on board to play Mother Superior, the frosty nun first portrayed by Dame Maggie Smith in the 1992 original.

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Directed by Emile Ardolino, Sister Act follows charismatic lounge singer Deloris who is forced to adopt a new life in a convent after witnessing the murder of her mobster boyfriend. Initially, she has trouble abiding by the group’s strict rules and bonding with her peers but before long, Deloris manages to inject some much-needed life and laughter into the run-down establishment.

Alongside Goldberg and Smith, Kathy Najimy, Beth Fowler. Wendy Makkena and Harvey Keitel also starred.

On its official Twitter page, the musical announced the news via a tweet and a video of Goldberg - who previously returned to the role for a brief stint at the London Palladium in 2010 - declaring that she’s “coming back” to the city.

“Yeah, the original Deloris is back... a little older, a little seasoned but really still kind of out there,” she adds.

“I would buy tickets,” Saunders jokes in the same clip. “I can’t buy tickets because I’m in it but I think this could be the event of the century. That’s all I’m saying. Small thing.”

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Written by Douglas Carter Beane (To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything!), the stage show will feature original songs by award-winning composer Alan Menken and run at the Eventim Apollo from 29 July – 30 August 2020.