Barry Jackson is a consultant with City Jesters
The stage version of The Sound of Music closely follows the story of the 1960s film of the same name. The backdrop is World War II and there’s much fear and anxiety looming with Nazi Germany’s advancing occupation of
She is dispatched to the home of Captain von Trapp – to look after his seven children, until he marries the stepmother in-waiting. Maria unwittingly rebels against the gloom and military precision of this lavish, elegant and sad home, where everyone is still mourning the loss of the captain’s first wife.
Against all the odds, she restores happiness to the family, starting with the seven children. She dislodges the wife-in-waiting and, perhaps most life-changing of all for a trainee nun, finds love with none other than the captain himself. After much singing and dancing, the story climaxes with Max – the fun-loving family friend – entering the family into a local singing competition. The captain doesn’t approve – of course – but the singing contest turns out to be the salvation of the von Trapps and we are all greatly relieved to see them singing their way into
Andrew Lloyd-Webber has added his own unique touch and there are a few new songs around the relationship of the captain and his potential new bride. But they do not add much to the overall production. I also think the roles of Rolfe, (who is allegedly in love with Liesl, the eldest of the children), the role of the countess (aka the wicked stepmother) and Max are not well cast. All three characters are a bit stiff and neither likeable (in the case of the two men) or scary (stepmother).
On the plus side, the seven children are great, while Connie Fisher's understudy, Gemma Baird, is a delightful – and totally credible – Maria. The Australian actor Simon Burke, meanwhile, is a great surprise as Captain von Trapp for those who remember him from his
But for me the star of the show was the mother abbess (Margaret Preece); her version of 'Climb E'very Mountain' was simply magical and I doubt there was a person in the house without at least a little lump in their throat as she told us all to go forth and conquer…
Overall verdict? True to the original story, great set, strong lead actors and definitely worth seeing.
