Sound of Music Youth Edition

Since 1965 this show has been a perennial favourite of societies up and down the country – indeed it furnished me with my first role as a youngster as Rolf and subsequently a few years later as the captain.

I think this is the first time I have viewed it as a ‘Youth Edition’ - although it held fairly closely to the original, the length of the songs were reduced and certain characters like the Baroness removed altogether. That said it did not disappoint.

As seems to be the normal nowadays there were two casts, Team Bread and Team Jam. I saw ‘Bread’ with the main principal roles played by a single person for all performances.

Before I mention the performances, it is as well to mention the staging. The quite large ARC at Stockton stage was well suited to the multi-functional set wheeled on and positioned as appropriate by the hard working stage crew – well done on your efforts which was done in a timely and generally silent manner covered at times by music from the five piece band, under the direction of Jason Mitchell, fairly well hidden away in the corner of the stage.

Main backgrounds were fulfilled by a projected ‘video wall.’ This is somewhat a staple of TMTC with the animated ‘backgrounds’ enhancing but never overbearing in nature.

Of course where would the Sound of Music be without the ‘children’ of Captain von Trapp.
In birth order we had Liesl (Amelia Brown); Friedrich (Isaac Short); Louisa (Poppy Short); Kurt (Frankie Short); Brigitta (Sophie Duggan); Marta (Alice Tattersall) and Gretl (Scarlett Harris).
Each had their own character and sang and ‘moved’ well – a particular favourite of mine was the ‘Do Ra Me’ song.

Amelia sang well as Liesl in her sixteen going on seventeen scene with Rolf (Finlay Buchanan) – as did Finlay, and his transformation from ‘would be boyfriend’ to Nazi sympathiser worked well.

Family friend and entrepreneur, Max Detweiler (Mitch MacSween) excelled with his light humour and fine acting.

Director Alison Dale had her cast add many small little enhancements to the show giving that extra ‘value’ – I particularly enjoyed the ‘Dancing Goat’ (Ollie Duggan) in the ‘Lonely Goatherd’ number. It would be difficult to mention everyone on stage with cameo roles, but the three main advising nuns Sister Margaretta, Berthe and Sophia (Isabella Ainsley, Imogen Bailey and Anya Ellis) particularly impressed and acted and sang well in their ‘How do you solve a problem’ number.

The captain (Michael Reeve) was powerful with a deep resonant voice commanding the stage on each entrance and is about to go off to Acting school - I wish him well.

Maria (Gracie Horan) was sweet with a compassionate edge to her character, sang well and, although of a similar age to the older children under her care, did not look out of place due to her demeanour.

The Mother Abbess (Imogen Field) was simply ‘wow’ with her powerful and pitch perfect voice she amazed the audience from her very first notes sang as they were in Latin and acappella – Imogen’s diction was superb throughout as the caring mother superior as she channelled her inner ‘Peggy Wood.’

It was an absolute pleasure to visit this friendly group who nurture their youth as much as their adults. Well done.

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