Marie and Rosetta at @sohoplace - Review

"Tharpe, a veteran of the gospel scene, has picked Knight out of a backing quartet the previous evening. Now she intends to teach her partner how to 'swing', to infuse Knight's religious repertoire with some nightclub rhythm and blues. Knight, the younger, more restrained church singer, is awestruck by Tharpe's musical adventurousness."

"Marie and Rosetta is a story of partnership, a profile of a musical innovator marginalised by mainstream culture, and an examination of racial injustice in the post-war American South. Tharpe's fusion of electric guitar with gospel music paved the way for modern rock and roll. She was, as Knight reminds her, Elvis's favourite guitar player."

"Preparation for their first show is the narrative frame through which the performers explore each other's voices, hopes and sorrows. Their meeting is an open-hearted musical communion rather than a frantic backstage drama."

Marie and Rosetta depicts the relationship between gospel-rock pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe and church singer Marie Knight as they prepare for their first performance together in 1940s Mississippi. Tharpe, a veteran musician with formidable stage presence, mentors the younger, more reserved Knight in blending religious music with rhythm and blues. Their preparation becomes a musical communion exploring each other's voices, hopes, and sorrows. The production examines Tharpe's groundbreaking fusion of electric guitar with gospel music, which paved the way for modern rock and roll, while addressing racial injustice in the post-war American South. Monique Touko's production brings fresh energy to George Brant's play, filling gaps in musical history with soulful melodies.

Read at London Unattached