For any theatre company to take on The Sound of Music is a brave choice.
Those Rodgers and Hammerstein songs—I don’t even need to list them—have become cultural icons, representing a certain era, sentimentality and romance with a dark political undertone.
Everyone knows them and can at least make a stab at humming them; many know them inside out and have seen the 1965 film countless times.
The highest grossing movie of all time from 1966 for four years, The Sound of Music movie has sold a staggering 238 million admissions worldwide.
How easily a musical theatre company could disappoint Sound of Music aficionados if they got it even slightly wrong.
It’s an incredible achievement then that the Highlands’ amateur musical theatre, Starlight, put on their own pitch-perfect version, stunning and thrilling the audience at Eden Court last night. (Wednesday August 14 2024)
The challenges to overcome in tackling such a musical on stage are considerable.
The Austrian scenery is a huge and dramatic part of the movie, but how to set The Sound of Music within the confines of a stage?
Starlight had an effective answer.
With a few props, clever lighting and tweaks of the flats, a minimalist suggestion of an austere building doubled as the Nonnberg Abbey, whence came Maria, and Captain Von Trapp’s severe schloss.
Such stark surroundings meant 100% audience focus on the performers.
They simply had to deliver —and they did, in spades.
Alison Ozog was Maria, fresh from her triumph as Rita O’Grady in Made In Dagenham only a few months ago.
Her voice impressed then, but even more so last night when she flawlessly sang the notoriously tricky Lonely Goatherd with its crazy cadences and yodels.
Her leading man, Liam Macaskill as Georg Van Trapp was the perfect musical and stage foil for Alison’s charming and charismatic Maria.
There were superb voices among the two dozen or so nuns who graced the stage for several numbers, including a dramatic entrance through the audience with lanterns at the start.
Leah Roehling as Mother Abbess stood out as much for the the warmth of her character as her amazing voice.
Captain Von Trapp’s initial love interest Elsa Schrader was played with flair by Zoe Kinnear McIntyre, who also knocked us dead earlier this year in Made In Dagenham as Sandra Beaumont.
David Frances Munro played Herr Detweiler, only his second musical role after a small part in Sunshine on Leith last year.
Detweiler is a difficult role, he has to be sympathetic enough for the audience to forgive him for being weak in the face of advancing Nazi occupation, and David managed to pull off that feat.
The whole cast admirably managed to convey the tensions and divisions of the time as Hitler’s stormtroopers drew ever nearer.
The Von Trapp’s housekeeper Frau Schmidt was played by Amanda Luscombe Smith, a welcome burst of energy every time she bustled onto the stage.
But of course The Sound of Music would be nothing without the seven Von Trapp children.
And we all know that children’s singing can be, let’s just say enthusiastic but a little tuneless.
Not so last night. Starlight’s young stars stunned with their perfect voices and the joyous exuberance they brought to the show, a two hour marathon gruelling even for adults.
Massive congratulations to director Roma Macaskill, musical director Fiona Stuart and choreographer Alan Banner for bringing the star quality out in such talented youngsters.
It’s hard to praise the children enough, and the audience last night agreed with me, on their feet at the end to give a well-deserved standing ovation.
Great kudos for their awesomeness to Aimee Ironside as Liesl, Joey MacRae as Friedrich, Katie Mitchell as Louisa, Alexa Gordon and Gracie Schofield who share the role of Brigitta (Gracie last night), Joss Reid as Kurt, Erin MacLeod Atkinson as Marta, and Harper MacRae and Milana Campbell who share the role of little Gretl.
Milana, whose turn it was last night, seemed to steal the show every time she made an appearance.
And no passing mention to the orchestra, conducted by Fiona Stuart. The Sound of Music would be nothing without the sound of music issuing from the pit, complementing, counterpointing and driving the action.
I can’t even imagine the hours and hours of hard work which everyone in Starlight put into the show, but congratulations all, it was worth it, you have created a tour de force.
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