The Sound of Music – Liverpool Empire

Music/Lyrics: Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II

Book – Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse

Director: Jeremy Sams

Reviewer: Iris Beaumont

The Public Reviews Rating:

How do you solve a problem like Maria? Well judging by a pre show announcement that through Illness (yet again) Connie Fisher wouldn’t be playing the role of Maria would be to recast this tour. The show is big enough to sell on its on merit without any big names attached.

Set in 1930’s Austria The Sound of Music follows the story of Maria who is failing miserably as a nun. When Navy Captain Georg Von Trapp contacts the convent asking for a governess, Maria is given the job. The Captain’s wife is dead, and he is often away, and runs the household as strictly as he does the ships he sails on. The children are unhappy and resentful of all the governesses that their father has been hiring, and have managed to run each of them off one by one. When Maria arrives, she is initially met with the same hostility, but her kindness, understanding, and sense of fun soon draws them to her and brings some much-needed joy into all their lives – including the Captain’s. Eventually he and Maria find themselves falling in love, even though Georg is already engaged to a Baroness and Maria is still a postulant. The romance makes them both start questioning the decisions they have made

Philippa Buxton as Maria really shone and gave the innocent nun a real shy, unassuming character to start with, becoming more confident has she found her feet in the family home. Her voice bought me out in goose-bumps it was strong and full of feeling and never faultered, she was a real pleasure to watch.

Marilyn Hill Smith’s portrayal of The Mother Abbess was outstanding her voice lifted the roof and the whole auditorium came alive with her voice. Michael Praed as Georg gave an excellent interpretation of the controlling father right down to his mannerisms, whilst the children were amazing and lit up the especially Gretl played by Claudia Hall, A shining star with real stage presence.

Robert Jones’ design was stunning, from the mountain side to the Von Trapps house, the transition from scene to scene was smooth and never distracted from the action, whilst his costume designs were beautifully realised and stayed true to the era of the shows setting. Whilst Jeremy Sams’direction kept the pace up and the energy from lagging whilst staying close to the heart of the piece.

The Sound of Music is well worth a visit to and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, maybe next time I see the show I may actually be able to catch the ever elusive Connie Fisher in the role of Maria.