HALLELUJAH, Alexandra Burke has had a marvellous time on tour at the Leeds Grand Theatre this year, first in the Whitney role in The Bodyguard and now whooping up the Whoopi one in Sister Act.

Transformed into A Divine Musical Comedy for the Broadway and West End stage, the show retains the cheerful daftness and effervescence of Emile Ardolino's 1992 movie, while introducing Motown, funk, soul and disco pastiches by Little Shop Of Horrors' Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater and a book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellener that stays true to the original spirit, with an extra topping of glam and camp sparkle.

Aided by Matthew Wright's sassy costumes and club and convent set designs that mirror each other, Sister Act evokes the American Seventies of Studio 54, Richard Roundtree movies, Pam Grier, Saturday Night Fever, Shaft and Telly Savalas’s Kojak in a story that opens with Burke's livewire lounge singer Deloris Van Cartier in thigh-high mauve boots and very big hair singing Take Me To Heaven.

York Press:

Soul sister: Alexandra Burke as lounge singer Deloris Van Cartier turned reluctant nun Sister Mary Clarence in Sister Act. Picture: Tristram Kenton

Instead, her cool but cruel mobster lover, Curtis Jackson (Aaron Lee Lambert), is taking her closer to hell, dumping a cast-off coat on her as a Christmas present and always denying her her big break, and when she witnesses him commit murder, she must flee from the Mafia's clutches.

Put in protective custody in the safe refuge of a convent by gun-shy, profusely sweaty cop Eddie Souther (Jon Robyns), Deloris kicks the habits into shape, transferring the sisters' previously off-key singing from doleful into soulful and herself into a divine diva. In doing so, she impresses Monsignor O’Hara (Tim Maxwell-Clarke), exasperates the earnest Mother Superior (Karen Mann), re-invigorates the rundown neighbourhood's church services and coffers, and rekindles the flame in Eddie's schooldays crush.

This full-throttle touring production, mounted by the Curve in Leicester, is directed and choreographed by Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood with even more irreverence than Jerry Zaks' 2012 tour that came to Leeds.

York Press:

Nuns just wanna have fun: The Queen of Angels Choir in Sister Act. Picture: Tristram Kenton

By doing this, he rather pushes for the laughter, where the earlier version was a gentler and funnier tease, but there is the added bonus of his actor-musician nuns and gangsters picking up musical instruments at every opportunity, and a bunch of swaying sisters with saxophones would surely p-p-p-perk up a penguin.

Rosemary Ashe's Sister Mary Lazarus steals scenes, especially in a rap routine, while Robyns's Eddie is both amusing and a knock-out sweet-voiced singer.

Just as Alexandra Burke wowed the Grand in The Bodyguard, so she is a pocket dynamo in Sister Act, her Deloris being lippy, funky, funny and feisty, as she sings heavenly ballads with soulful drama and struts through the retro dance numbers with fabulous relish. A blistering sister act.

Sister Act, A Divine Musical Comedy, Leeds Grand Theatre, until Saturday, 7.30pm and 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Box office: 0844 848 2700 or at leedsgrandtheatre.com