Sound of Music

From the very first bars of the overture I realised that this was going to high quality production as James Green led his very talented orchestra with great sensitivity to the score. Indeed, throughout the night the balance he maintained between the orchestration and vocal performances set the foundation for the overall experience. 

Any production of The Sound of Music stands or falls on the success of the casting of Maria and the Children, and this afternoon, Mary Bloss, Eleasha Hammond and Team Hammerstein of Marshall Hawkes, Hannah Moss, Blake Williams, Lily Jackson, Alicia Dalipi and Amelia-Rose Dalipi exploded onto the stage with enthusiasm, energy and significant vocal and acting skills. Mary’s portrayal was exceptionally well judged and was at all times believable, from her early days as a nervous postulant, to the conclusion leading her children from Nazi occupied Austria over the mountains. 

Sarah Mayes, Freya Hannah, Rosanna Wood and the whole chorus of Nuns managed to avoid all the clichés that could have detracted from their scenes and provided great vocal support and leadership in such classics as “Maria” and of course “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” which closed Act 1 with great effect. 

Simon Lambert played Captain Von Trapp with a great blend of understatement and strength and brought out the light and shade of the head of the family from the outset. This was a refreshing change from the typical characterisation that switches too rapidly from draconian patriarch to gentle husband. 

Charlie Evans-Rouse was on great form as Rolf both vocally and in his acting where he manged to portray how even the gentlest individual can be led astray by “mob mentality” but who still, at the crunch, does the right thing. 

The supporting principals, Nuns, Novices, Postulants, German Soldiers and Contestants at the festival concert all provided great supporting performances that added to the overall professional delivery of the Production. Sound and Lighting were impeccable throughout as was the rapid scene changes from the backstage team. The set was at all times effective as were the excellent costumes. 

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.