Marie and Rosetta
George Brant
Directed by Monique Touko
Minerva Theatre, Chichester
Star rating: 4
Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915-1973) was an extraordinary guitarist, singer and performer who broke the barriers between gospel and secular music and effectively invented rock and roll. As a black southern woman on tour, she had to eat what the white coach driver brought her because she wasn’t allowed in the restaurants. She had a high profile career and influenced Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Jimmy Hendrix among others. Yet she is largely forgotten today.
George Brant’s two hander play seeks to rectify that. We’re in a funeral parlour where Rosetta (Beverley Knight) has just met talented younger singer Marie Knight (Ntombizodwa Ndlovu) and wants to work with her, Marie is doing Rosetta’s make up as the back story gradually emerges and time moves on. Eventually it becomes clear why they’re where they are.
Both actors are superb. Knight gives a bravura performance as the brittle, sassy, witty but vulnerable Rosetta – moving round the circular stage with her usual elastic fluidity and, of course, she sings as if these numbers were written for her. Ndlovu is younger and less well known but, my goodness, what a voice! When she sings “Were You There” she has every member of the audience hanging on every note. And she develops her character’s voyage of self discovery beautifully. There is real chemistry between these two actors as Rosetta encourages Marie and brings her on. It’s often funny but there’s tragedy there too.
The third star in this show is guitarist and musical director Shirley Tetteh who plays some fabulous guitar sequences to represent Rosetta’s virtuosity. She works from a stage left recess and at one point comes centre stage. The other three band members (all black and female – appropriately) do a fine job from a recess opposite Tetteh and two spots on an over-stage mezzanine. And the sound is terrifc.
Marie and Rosetta is a play with songs – a lot of them because Rosetta and Marie are rehearsing – rather than a musical as such. It’s intensely vibrant and interestingly informative. The southern accents are very heavy (voice and dialect coach Joel Trill) and take a few minutes to tune into but they’re convincingly authentic.
Marie and Rosetta premiered in New York City in 2016. This revival is a co production with Rose Theatre, Kingston (where it had a run in May) English Touring Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre.
