
This production is recommended for ages 12+.
Performance dates
28 February - 11 April 2026
Run time: 2hrs
Includes interval
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Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the roof-raising ‘godmother of rock ‘n’ roll’, influenced countless musicians from Elvis to Johnny Cash. This sparkling, intimate portrait of Rosetta and her beloved singing partner, Marie Knight, restores these forgotten musical heroines to the spotlight as one of the most remarkable and revolutionary duos in music history.
Mississippi, 1946. Sister Rosetta has changed the face of gospel music with her exuberant, electric guitar-playing style. Shunned by straitlaced church folk for performing in nightclubs and glorying in rhythm and blues, she’s persuaded the saintly young singer Marie to join her on a tour of the segregated southern States. But first she has to convert Marie’s pure Sunday sound into something that has just a little more swing…
Featuring a wealth of joyous rock and gospel hits including Didn’t It Rain and Peace in the Valley, the show will feature live musicians accompanying Olivier Award-winning West End star Beverley Knight (Memphis, The Drifters Girl, Sylvia, Sister Act) as Rosetta Tharpe.
Joining Beverley Knight is Ntombizodwa Ndlovu as Marie Knight. Her recent theatre credits include Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, The Space Between Us, Mixtape, Nothing, and The Mountain Top (Royal Exchange Theatre).
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Captioned Performance: 28 March 2026 at 2.30pm BSL Performance: 3 April 2026 at7.30pm Audio Described Performance: 4 April 2026 at7.30pmLatest Marie & Rosetta News

News / Features / New Shows + Transfers
Women Raising Their Voices: The Most Empowering Songs in Theatre
Musical theatre has always been a space where women get to take up room — emotionally, politically, and vocally. From quiet moments of shared understanding to full-throttle declarations of independence, some of the most powerful songs in musicals are driven by women lifting each other up, challenging expectations, and rewriting their own stories. These aren’t always traditional duets, but they are moments where female voices come together — in harmony, solidarity, or defiance — and that’s where the magic really happens!
Wicked – “For Good”
Few musical theatre songs capture female friendship quite like For Good. Sung by Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked, it’s a moment of reflection rather than spectacle — two women acknowledging how deeply they’ve shaped one another. There’s no rivalry here, no need to win. Instead, the song celebrates growth, empathy, and the idea that being changed by another woman is something to treasure, not fear. It’s quietly revolutionary, and a huge part of why Wicked continues to resonate so strongly.
Marie and Rosetta – “Up Above My Head”
Long before rock and roll had a name — and long before Elvis — Sister Rosetta Tharpe was already changing music forever. A gospel singer who plugged in an electric guitar, sped everything up, and blurred the lines between sacred and secular, Rosetta helped invent a sound that the world would later credit to men. Marie and Rosetta places her alongside Marie Knight, a more traditional gospel singer, and Up Above My Head becomes a joyful celebration of partnership and possibility. Together, they embody female empowerment through risk, collaboration, and unapologetic musical ambition.
The Color Purple – “Sister” / “I’m Here”
At the heart of The Color Purple is the idea that survival is easier — and stronger — when women stand together. Whether through the communal energy of Sister or the emotional release of I’m Here, the show centres female resilience, self-worth, and solidarity. These moments may not always be structured as duets, but they are powered by connection: women recognising themselves in one another and refusing to stay silent any longer.
Six - “No Way”
Catherine of Aragon’s defiant anthem kicks off SIX with a refusal to be quietly rewritten. Cast aside for a younger wife, she refuses to accept the narrative she’s been given, asserting her intelligence, resilience and right to be remembered. Set against the stories of Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr, the song establishes the show’s central idea: these women were more than footnotes in Henry VIII’s life — they had voices, agency and stories worth reclaiming.
23 Dec, 2025 | By Hay Brunsdon

News / Features / Celebrities
Spotlight on Beverley Knight
Few performers shine quite like Beverley Knight. A powerhouse vocalist with a career spanning over three decades, she has become one of the most respected voices in British soul music and a treasured star of the West End stage.
Early Life & Musical Roots
Born on 22 March 1973 in Wolverhampton to Jamaican parents, Knight grew up in a deeply musical household shaped by church, gospel, and soul. Raised in a Pentecostal family, her love for singing began in the church choir. By her early teens she was writing her own songs, and by 17 she was pursuing a professional music career.
A Star of the West End
Beverley Knight has become one of theatre’s most thrilling leading ladies. She starred as Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard, Felicia in Memphis, Grizabella in Cats, and led The Drifters Girl in 2021. In 2023, she won the Olivier Award for her role in Sylvia
26 Nov, 2025 | By Hay Brunsdon

News / Features / New Shows + Transfers
Beverley Knight to Star in West End Premiere of Marie and Rosetta
Following acclaimed runs at the Rose Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre and ETT, Marie and Rosetta.will open at @sohoplace for a strictly limited season from 28 February to 11 April 2026..
Olivier Award-winner Beverley Knight reprises her role as the trailblazing Sister Rosetta Tharpe, joined once again by Ntombizodwa Ndlovu as Marie Knight, marking her West End debut. Directed by Monique Touko, this intimate and uplifting production celebrates the godmother of rock ’n’ roll and the young gospel singer who became her most trusted partner.
29 Sep, 2025 | By Hay Brunsdon
Valid all performances 28 February - 10 March 2026 Book by 12 January 2026