The Sound of Music (Manor Musical Theatre Company)
In a world that is dominated by the 'modern musical', it is always nice to be able to witness one of the classics and they don't come any more loved than The Sound of Music by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein who could probably be defined as the inventors of the musical as we know it. Manor Musical Theatre Company have created a production that adheres to all that we remember and cherish about the story of the Von Trapp Family and the challenges of existing in Nazi occupied Austria during World War II.
Pressure of performance for leading characters is nothing new but, there is so much riding on the portrayal of Maria Rainer that it needs an actor of some considerable capability and capacity which is exactly what Paula O'Hare brings to the performance, bags of enthusiasm and a voice of incredible quality. Richard Parry provides an equally formidable performance as Captain Von Trapp, the strong and initially foreboding type who runs his house like his ship (with a whistle) but, who slowly opens up and falls for Maria who has brought life back into his family.
I would usually quote the great WC Fields here (you know the one about thinking twice before 'treading the boards' with youngsters or animals) but, I'd sooner dive straight into the stage presence of the youth performers. Firstly the eldest, Liesl played with just the right balance of naive charm and 'pushing the boundaries' teenager (I'm 16 and I don't need a governess !) by Sasha Marsh, the only one of the Von Trapp Children who doesn't have her age quoted in the programme (you don't ask a lady her age do you). As a reviewer you usually only get to see one of the quite often multiple teams playing the rest of the children and all I can say is the other team will have to go some to match and beat the team I saw, Jack Goode (Friedrich), Malaika Martin (Louisa), Antonia Scott (Brigitta), Ezra Christoffels (Kurt), Nicola Bradbury (Marta) and Sophie John (Gretl), they all bring something special to their individual roles and aa a team but, I have to mention Antonia who is obviously an actor of the future in the making and of course Sophie, voice projection way beyond her years and a score of one hundred out of ten on the cuteness scale.
No show ever fully reaches its potential without a supporting cast, Robyn Klein-Christoffels is the epitome of a Baroness (and Company Director) as Elsa Schraeder, Lynne Ridge brings some dry wit to the role of Max Detweiller, Olly White develops a difficult character changing from Telegram Boy to Nazi Soldier as Rolf Gruber and with a voice that almost rocked the venue during her performance of 'Climb Every Mountain', Susan Bushby is perfectly cast as the Mother Abbess.
Some other notable performances include Sarah Watts (Frau Schmidt) and Paul Stewart (Franz) as senior household servants to Captain Von Trapp, Tony Buckley as a distinctly scary Herr Zeller and Sarah Cotter (Sister Ava), Lia Cadman (Sister Berthe), Gemma Parton (Sister Margaretta) and Karrise Willetts (Sister Sophia) as the supporting nuns, alongside the Mother Abbess creating a rousing performance of 'Maria'.
There is no doubt this is a team performance though and much credit must go to the management team, Pam & James Garrington (Directors), Peter Bushby (Musical Director) and a role that rarely gets a mention in reviews that of Stage Manager, in this case Dave Harbord and his supporting team who seamlessly moved a considerable amount of 'stuff' to keep the pace moving.
Let me put it this way, 'I have confidence' that you'll enjoy this show so don't miss it and get your tickets now.
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