Beverley Knight as Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Marie and Rosetta [Johan Persson]

MARIE AND ROSETTA
@sohoplace
☆☆☆

DUBBED the godmother of rock’n’roll, Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Beverley Knight, outstanding) changed the face of gospel music with her vocals and flamboyant electric guitar-playing.

She was revered by Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan, among others. Raised by her mother, a travelling evangelist, Rosetta moved to Chicago at six. After a short-lived marriage, she headed to New York in 1938 where she recorded Decca’s first gospel songs and sang at Harlem’s Cotton Club.

Set in a Mississippi funeral parlour in 1946, the first half of George Brant’s play with music follows Rosetta as she recruits young singer Marie Knight (Ntombizodwa Ndlovu, making an assured West End debut) to join her on a tour of the segregated southern states. First, though, she has to tone down Marie’s godliness and persuade her to add sass to her performance.

Married to a preacher, Marie is easily shocked, and Rosetta pushes her to embrace her talent and temper her religious fervour.

There’s a little too much exposition here, and Monique Touko’s slightly static production doesn’t really ignite until after the interval, despite the exceptional performances of its two leads.

The second half is stronger – the duo shine with numbers such as I Looked Down the Line, Up Above My Head and Rosetta’s gospel hit Strange Things Happening Every Day, which the audience lap up.

The pair are accompanied by four brilliant female musicians: Shirley Tetteh (MD and guitarist); Mia Odeleye (pianist); Genevieve Namazzi (double bassist); and Ishara Andrews (drummer).

The pace may be uneven, but you can’t fault the music, Jodie-Simone Howe’s fabulous costumes and Keisha Banya’s wigs and make-up.

Until April 11
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