The Sound of Music

The audience couldn’t help but enjoy this production of this Rogers & Hammerstein popular musical. In the lead role, Brogan Hollindrake played her part well as the young novice nun turned governess Maria, she sang sweetly and acted assuredly, working well with the show stealing Von Trapp children, who all enthusiastically enjoyed themselves, especially the tiniest and cutest Gretl. I particularly enjoyed the staging of ‘Lonely Goatherd’. Teenager Liesl (Claire Johnson) was nicely partnered by post boy Rolf (Joslan Scherewode) in ‘Sixteen going on Seventeen’. Jonathan Tate was a stern, upright Captain von Trapp who later warmed effectively in his tender scenes with Maria.There were polished performances from Samantha Ball as the elegant Baroness Elsa Schraeder and Peter Hall’s sophisticated and very flamboyantly camp Max Detweiler. They, with the Captain, featured well in the light hearted ‘How Can Love Survive.’ Headed by Gabrielle Cross as the Mother Abbess, the augmented chorus of Nuns sang magnificently, especially in the majestic wedding procession. In charge of the household were Franz and Frau Schmidt capably played by Garth Rookes and Rosie Brooks and David Elliot was a nasty, officious Herr Zeller. The Arts Centre audience became the audience of the Salzburg Music Festival and joined in with the Von Trapp Family in the Captain’s emotional rendition of Edelweiss, under the watchful eye of the German guards who were placed around the auditorium. The excellent orchestra under Maureen’s direction provided first class accompaniment throughout. Lighting and sound effects were good and lot of work must have gone into the effective scenery which was created by the society’s construction team.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.