Review Roundup: THE AMEN CORNER at the National Theatre

Rufus Norris' production of James Baldwin's The Amen Corner opened at The National Theatre and follows the life of Sister Margaret, a pastor of a Harlem church. It stars Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Eric Kofi Abrefa and Sharon D Clarke and runs through August 14, 2013.

Let's see what the critics had to say:

Michael Coveney of whatsonstage.com writes: But Rufus Norris' irresistible production in the Olivier, with a tremendous, tragic and deeply moving performance by Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Sister Margaret Alexander, turns that preconception on its head. And provides the most joyous NT evening of the year so far.

Henry Hitchings of the Evening Standard says: With live gospel music, a tragic plot and a refreshing emphasis on the complexity of its female characters, James Baldwin's debut play The Amen Corner is, at its best, revelatory. It's also undeniably flawed, but this rare revival by Rufus Norris has a confident vigour and boasts a fine cast, expertly led by the Oscar-nominated Marianne Jean-Baptiste.

Charles Spencer of the Daily Telegraph writes: Praise The Lord! Rufus Norris's new production of James Baldwin's play, set in Harlem in 1953 and partly based on his own experience as a teenage preacher, once again finds the NT in spirit-lifting form. Right from the start, when the London Community Gospel Choir launch into a joyous hymn that reverberates divinely around the Olivier auditorium it is clear that we are in for something special here - and so it proves.

Quentin Letts of the Daily Mail writes: Sister Margaret, as this preacher-woman is called, delivers strict sermons and will not let her flock stray from the path of righteousness. Yet she herself has a troublesome past: a teenage son (Eric Kofi Abrefa) who is experimenting with jazz and drink, and a long-absent, dissolute husband (Lucian Msamati). Sister Margaret, darn it, still loves the brute.

Paul Taylor of the Independent says: So all praise to The National Theatre and to director Rufus Norris for making this rare revival of Baldwin's debut drama The Amen Corner (1954) such a deeply affecting occasion... Marianne Jean-Baptiste turns in a magnificent performance as Sister Margaret Alexander... Her body pulsating with the spirit as she delivers her fiery sermons... Cecilia Noble is hilarious as a wheezy-voiced, bulky Sister Moore whose seamless glissades from supportive piety to peevishly competitive insinuation epitomise the moral hypocrisy of these "saints"... the brilliant Jean-Baptiste, as she bleakly and courageously sheds the pastor's white gown of office, shows you a protagonist who has to lose almost everything in order to achieve wisdom and Sharon D Clarke brings a lovely obdurate wit to the part of Odessa.

Dominic Maxwell of the Times writes: Rufus Norris's exciting revival of this 1954 play... The story is slow to get rolling. Once it does, this is gripping theatre with plenty of pointed humour to it... As the softly sanctimonious Sister Moore, Cecilia Noble... pitches her passive-aggressive performance to perfection... Jean-Baptiste, in her first British stage performance for many years after working in America, is simply stunning... terrific support from Sharon D. Clarke as her steadfast sister, Odessa; Lucian Msamati as the charming but volatile Luke; and Eric Kofi Abrefa as David, choosing between his parents' different legacies. Sometimes it's swamped by the scale of the stage... but Norris's production uses the gospel songs and Tim Sutton's jazz trio to help ensure that this rarely revived drama is funny, sad and uplifting. Praise be, really.

Sarah Hemming of Financial Times says: One of the hallmarks of a great production is that it can cut through any shortcomings in a play and find the heart of it, and so it is with Rufus Norris's magnificent staging of James Baldwin's 1954 drama. The play, Baldwin's first, is stiff-legged in places, goes for a couple of contrived showdowns and under-writes several characters. But Norris's joyous, music-soaked production shrugs this off, and he and his fine cast, let by a superb Marianne Jean-Baptiste, find the pain, joy and humanity in this heartfelt work.

Photo Credit: Richard H. Smith

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