Elizabeth Bouman reviews The Sound of Music, Mosgiel Coronation Hall, Thursday, May 14
Since its Broadway premier (1959), Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music has become the world's greatest musical, and the most successful movie musical in history. Taieri Musical opened a season of this popular show in Mosgiel's Coronation Hall with a big cast directed by Denise Henderson, and musical director Steve Miles conducting an excellent 10-piece orchestra.
A live show is a fantastic experience for patrons, and the capacity audience loved this production, rewarding it with a standing ovation, before carrying snippets of the familiar songs into the street and car park.
Maria is to be a nun, but instead becomes the fun-loving governess for the seven children of widowed Captain von Trapp, and the story chronicles their eventual marriage and the Austrian family's escape from the Third Reich.
Janine Weatherly was in fine voice and shaped her role as Maria brilliantly; high-spirited yet passionate, humble and with natural interaction with the children. Peter Hocking, though not as strong vocally, portrayed an austere Captain von Trapp, who then softened as love blossomed, to become a warm, caring father and husband.
The children were characterised with individuality, with a goodly portion of cuteness, and two with exceptional professionalism during a couple of minutes when a gauze malfunction separated them in Do-Re-Mi. Henderson's background in dance ensured effective movement and choreography throughout. Liesl (Ailis Oliver-Kirby) and Rolf's (Ben Thomas) Sixteen Going on Seventeen was stunning. Barry Cloogh as Max injected touches of humour, and Harriot Moir was a very believable lady of some class, though I longed to replace her frightfully affected English accent with something more Germanic.
Although all very strong singers, Mother Abbess (Bridget Telfer) and ''sisters from Nonnberg Abbey'' were amplified, preventing cloistered ambience and resonant close harmony in the preludium and wedding chorales. Set and costuming were a credit to the team (production manager, Chris Hinch) and lighting with stained-glass windows in the abbey scene was superb. A ''must-see'' family show.
