The Sound of Music
Information
- Date
- 26th September 2012
- Society
- Hinchley Manor Operatic Society
- Venue
- Epsom Playhouse
- Type of Production
- Musical
- Director
- Chris Malone
- Musical Director
- Ana Lopez
- Choreographer
- Kelly Neilson
With this staging of ‘The Sound of Music’, HMOS have demonstrated once again that you do not need to go to London’s West End to see a good show – this was a first-class production that lived up to our expectations in every way.
I am going to start by commenting on the outstanding choral singing by the Nuns’ ensemble. What a way to start a show!! This was music of the highest order, including some beautifully performed unaccompanied passages. This ensemble played their role excellently throughout – first-class singing, good character interpretation and a nice mix of solemnity and quiet fun.
This leads me on to compliment the Musical Director on an impressively good orchestra and fine musical interpretation and training throughout. It was a joy to hear an orchestra with a proper string section – sadly something of a rarity these days – well balanced, not amplified and totally sympathetic to the performers on stage.
This was a good overall production by the Director, well-rehearsed, always plenty of stage interest, and the whole show moved on slickly and with pace. This continuity is particularly difficult to achieve in a show such as this with many scene changes.
You were able to field a very accomplished team of principal performers – all the characters well portrayed, and good vocal content throughout. And of course the real stars of any production of ‘Sound Of Music’ are the children! They were all stars: each brought out the individuality of their characters well, which they projected with confidence.
Overall. your scenery suppliers did you proud with the sets, which were mostly very attractive and effective. It was good to see ‘proper’ scenery for the main von Trapp villa scenes, with house pieces, working doors and french windows etc, rather than the merely symbolic scenery that is so often used nowadays. Maria’s bedroom was somewhat bare (and the window piece not very convincing) and it might have been a good idea to stage it as an inset, to give the impression of a small room, rather than looking a bit like a royal bed-chamber!
The stage management and crew achieved the many scene changes very slickly – congratulations to you all! Also to the lighting and sound teams: it is sometimes said that the best compliment you can pay these departments is that you did not notice them, and this is probably true here.
I see that most of the costumes were either made or from your own resources, with very little hired, A fine job by you all – all the costumes generally looked good and appropriate for the characters.
An excellent programme – lots of interesting and relevant information, well presented, and good use of colour. But no mention of NODA, nor displaying the NODA crest, so sadly your programme does not qualify for entry into the NODA programme competition.
Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable show – congratulations to you all.
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