Wolverhampton singer and actor Beverley Knight received a standing ovation as she took to
the stage at the city’s Grand Theatre in the new show Marie and Rosetta.

And it was well deserved. Playing the role of trailblazing gospel and rock singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Knight rapidly takes on the mantle of the woman who led the way for countless other singers. As a black woman in the 1930s and 1940s Rosetta performed despite discrimination for her race and sex while also facing criticism for her decision to step outside of the church and sing in clubs and other venues.

Knight, who has cut her acting teeth on shows including Sister Act and The Drifters Girl, gives us a Rosetta who is sassy and opinionated. She is prepared to fight for what she wants and believes in her own strengths but she is also aware of stiff competition from other singers threatening to push her from the limelight.

And so Rosetta takes up novice singer Marie Knight, played with a gentle humour by Ntombizodwa Ndlovu. The show takes us into one evening in which the two women suss each other out – are they able to perform together, what accommodations do they need to make to their own views and showstyles for that to work?

Both Beverley Knight and Ntombizodwa Ndlovu are great as their characters and are at their finest when they break into song, storming the Grand with renditions of heartfelt gospel songs like Were You There, Lord Search My Heart and Peace in the Valley but also rock hits including This Train, I Want a Tall Skinny Papa and Strange Things Are Happening. The women are supported by a live band who give extra power to the songs, ensuring they raise the rafters and bringing added energy to the show. Directed by Monique Touko, the chemistry between the two women is emphasized from the beginning right to the end while also ensuring clever interplay between their performances and the musicians.

But the difficulty with Marie and Rosetta is the script. Written by George Brant, the play takes place over one meeting in one night but it lacks a strong story arc. There is a sense of the two women moving closer together in understanding each other but the world outside never seems to fully step in. While Marie and Rosetta share experiences there is no detailed substance to the tales so we are hearing a surface-level skim of their lives rather than the real heart of their daily battles.

This means we never get to fully understand their relationships with others, how they dealt with the obstacles they have faced to reach the point they are at, their pains and heartaches or even their joys.

The story moves forward at the finale but we are then hit by a barrage of facts aiming to fill in all the gaps so that Marie and Rosetta risks feeling more like a talk show than a play or musical. With a two-hander it can be challenging to flesh out other characters and situations but it can be done.

Audiences will though leave with a sense that they have been watching two impressive women – in both the performers and the characters they are portraying – and the music is fabulous.

Three stars

Marie and Rosetta was reviewed by Diane Parkes on Tuesday 27 May at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre where it continues to show until Saturday 31 May