In this perennial favourite story of nun meets damaged toff only to charm him and his family of budding folk singers whilst thwarting evil Nazis after the Anschluss, we have some of the most memorable songs to have gone into the collective consciousness as part of a common culture. With just enough dark history bouncing around this unlikely love story to stop it becoming a sickly goo of cheeky nuns and cherubic tots it shows little sign of losing any of its appeal.
As a musical it will of course stand or fall by the quality of Maria, and in Jessica Daley who stepped into the role last night, the company has a worthy lead. She has an open-faced honesty and just the right hint of the mountain-loving country girl that gives credibility to the reluctant governess. More importantly she has the voice and personality that can hold a stage which she does from the off with her opening, The Sound of Music.
All the singers are well served by a highly accomplished orchestra under David Steadman
Jan Hartley, with a voice, in the soaring, anthemic, Climb Every Mountain, that hits you in the solar plexus, finds a benign, worldly good sense as the Mother Abbess. Not that it needs much insight to see that Maria is not cut out for convent life as the audience will already have sussed. That, as the phrase goes, is a no brainer.
The von Trapp juniors are little angels to a fault and sing like seasoned pros. Who could fail to love them (like the original Maria). Sixteen year old Liesl (Grace Chapmen) finds the right note of knowing innocence in her dealings with Rolf (Luke George). Their Sixteen Going on Seventeen duet was youthfully staged by Bill Deamer, showing us energy, grace and period decorum.
Captain von Trapp (Steven Houghton) in his effort to be cold and stern unfortunately comes over as a little prissy, whilst mention of the Nazis brings on something more like a hissy fit rather than dignified stern rebuke. In the ball scene, I thought he danced a little too well for a distinguished naval captain, looking more like a future winner of Strictly. But he did give a touchingly warm rendering of Edelweiss in the folk competition just before the family troop off over the Alps.
Sarah Soetaert lent some hard-nosed city glamour to the party whilst Howard Samuels’ uncle Max was a model of un-blushing, self-centred, mildly patriotic concern.
Gary McCann’s lofty Romanesque setting of the convent and sweeping Baroque interior of von Trapp Towers gives the right note of opulence, which is brought to life by Nick Richings’ sympathetic lighting..
The Sound of Music is the show that keeps on giving and with such an accomplished cast what’s not to like? ★★★★☆ Graham Wyles 24/06/15
Photos by Pamela Raith
