RAISE YOUR VOICE!

JLife spoke with Lesley Joseph about her role as Mother Superior in the 2023 tour of Sister Act the musical, coming to the Liverpool Empire in May.

Sister Act follows the story of Dolores Van Cartier, a singer who must go into witness protection as a nun after watching her boyfriend commit a violent crime. There she meets Mother Superior, a devout Catholic, who must ensure Dolores follows the strict rules of the convent as not to influence the other nuns with her reckless rock and roll attitude. When Dolores takes over the convent’s choir and teaches them how to sing with soul, Mother Superior worries the sisters will stray from their faith.

Hi Lesley! Pleasure to meet you. So, this is not your first foray into musical theatre, do you prefer performing in tv or theatre?

Hello! I actually started performing in musicals way back in my drama school years and then gradually television took over. I love television, I love the opportunities television brings. But if I had to choose, it would be theatre.

Theatre is where my heart is. I love the atmosphere and the family you build. I love to stand in the wings and watch other people’s work. I also love what theatre can do to an audience. So yes, at the moment I prefer musicals, but even that might change one day.

Due to the repetitive nature of live theatre, how has the character of Mother Superior developed?

I’m being absolutely honest when I say every show is different. Every audience is different. So, the performance is never the same.

I look at it as, every show is the first time I have said those lines and I take this incredibly seriously. I get as much out of performing the show as the audience will get out of watching it. And I find some nights I get incredibly moved. I remember one night, tears came into my eyes and my co-star said: “Please don't do that to me, I can't sing if I'm watching you crying.”

Your main solo Here Within These Walls tells the story of the safety Mother Superior feels inside the convent. Does this song make you feel more spiritually connected? To be honest, it does. Of course, I’m Jewish and the character is Catholic. But I still have a strong spiritual feeling despite those differences. It’s my favourite part of the show, I love the lyrics about feeling the comfort of your own sanctuary – it’s such a beautiful song.

Because it’s about the rest of the world being sinful and the convent being the only holy place left, it can be viewed as pessimistic. But it’s not that Mother Superior has a pessimistic view of what’s outside, she has an optimistic view of what’s inside.

I mean, you only have to read the news sometimes to think life can be incredibly depressing. But on the flip side life can be incredibly amazing. And that’s the effect this show has on people, when they come out the feeling they have is joyous.

I think it has a huge effect after what people went through with lockdown. We look out at the audience at the end of the show, and everybody is on their feet and waiving their arms in the air, it’s an extraordinary feeling.