If you’re looking for a musical packed with gospel and blues songs that lift the soul as well as the theatre roof, then Marie and Rosetta is for you. The show shines a light on gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who never got the accolades she deserved when alive, but is brought back to life exceptionally well by Beverley Knight.
Knight is the perfect choice for the role with soaring vocals and a performance full of both heart and soul. The story is told as a two-hander as Marie and Rosetta showcases Rosetta’s relationship with her young singing partner, Marie Knight, perfectly played by rising star Ntombizodwa Ndlovu.
Set in 1946 Mississippi, it’s quickly clear that the godmother of rock ‘n’ roll is not popular with gospel church-goers. Her electric guitar and performances in nightclubs are frowned upon, and even Marie veers between loving what her idol does and showing her disapproval. But Marie and Rosetta are going on tour and Rosetta needs to put some swing into her protégée’s usually saintly Sunday singing.
In all honesty, the plot of Marie and Rosetta isn’t much more than that. But it doesn’t matter as the extraordinary vocals more than make up for the lack of story. Beverley Knight has had great success in some big West End shows, but it feels like this is a role she was born to play.
Alongside the two leads are a fabulous band led by musical director Shirley Tetteh. The guitar and piano that Marie and Rosetta ‘play’ while rehearsing their songs are actually played by members of the band who spend some of the time hidden behind net curtains on a simple but effective set.
Inevitably, given that the duo are touring the segregated south of the US in the 1940s, there are some important messages about the realities of racism. But there’s humour too, and both performers look like they are having a brilliant time. If you go and join them, I think you will too.
Marie and Rosetta is playing at the Rose Theatre in Kingston until 24 May, then at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 27 to 31 May, and Chichester Festival Theatre from 25 June to 26 July 2025.