Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music must rate as one of the all-time most popular musicals. On the face of it a story about nuns, nannies and mountains would not be considered very sexy – although the odd jack-boot and swastika does add a little piquancy. Nevertheless, through most of my formative years, which I must confess did coincide with this show’s naissance, it would have been considered very naff indeed to admit to liking it and bordering on a mortal sin to have seen it, on stage or on film, even if you parents dragged you screaming into the theatre. It was considered dull, boring and, worst of all too sweet and syrupy – or maybe that was just Julie Andrews. So, what has changed? Why was I actually looking forward to it and why was one of our other reviewers proud to give it 4 stars a few months back?
The revival of many classic musicals by “respectable” producers like the National Theatre and Chichester plus the coach-trade public’s seemingly insatiable appetite for big, bright and expensive shows have all contributed. But, at the end of the day and all things considered, it is a case of quality will out even though The Sound of Music rather falls between two stools. Opening in 1959, it was post Big Broadway Musicals but a good ten years before the nouvelle vague which emanated from the UK. So what did I think of it?
Well, I think this will be a review of two halves. Firstly, let me say this was a spectacular and sumptuous production, as one has come to expect from Bill Kenwright. The design was beautiful and the show was a joy to behold. The opening convent scene and the sweeping staircase of von Trapp towers really had the wow factor. The costumes, as a rule, were good although those of Max Detweiler and Elsa Schraeder looked far too modern and were neither Austrian nor 1930s.
All of the performances were excellent. Lucy Byrne was totally convincing as Maria and had the right combination of naivety and stubbornness and sang beautifully. I liked Andrew Lancel as the sourpuss Captain as he slowly mellowed and realised his seven children were in fact children and not midshipmen on one of his battleships. Rebecca Caine gave a superior performance as the broad-minded Mother Abbess and gave Climb Every Mountain a lot of operatic welly. The most successful set-pieces all took place in the convent with its pillars and giant stained glass windows. As a production I would be tempted to give it five stars. However. . .
The show itself I was slightly less impressed with. Perhaps having been spoiled by seeing Guys and Dolls the night before where every single number is a winner, I was a little disappointed that there were quite so many fairly weak filler songs. That said, the show stoppers are just that; the title song, My Favourite Things, Edelweiss and Climb Every Mountain are so embedded in our psyche that it almost seemed unnecessary to sing them. The story itself, basically true with a lot of liberties, is fascinating and the ever-present menace of the jack-boot, as I said before, added enough tension to off-set the schmaltz.
So, overall I enjoyed it. Call me a sentimental old fool if you want, but after having spent a lifetime avoiding it I’m glad I have finally seen The Sound of Music. ★★★★☆ Michael Hasted at the Everyman, Cheltenham 14th July 2016
