Review: THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Curve Leicester
Photo credit: Marc Brenner
The Sound of Music, whilst not being explicitly festive, feels like the perfect Christmas show and the sold-out Curve in Leicester clearly agreed. It has a score packed full of beautiful songs that everyone knows and, on the whole, is a heartwarming and sweet story of a man who has his heart softened thanks to the power of music.
Whilst this production of The Sound of Music is fairly traditional, director Nikolai Foster introduces elements that keep it fresh. The ways that he foregrounds the Nazi invasion of Austria adds a constant sense of foreboding danger, injecting some darkness to an otherwise typically sweet and lovely musical. Michael Taylor’s set design adds to this, as the inside world of the Von Trapp’s house meets the outside world. The set is impressive, filling the stage with trees and mountains (plus a running waterfall!). Taylor’s costume design is wonderful, with the Von Trapp family’s colourful costumes juxtaposing the dark Nazi soldier uniforms.
The Sound of Music isn’t typically a very dance heavy show but choreographer Ebony Molina finds every moment to add some joyful and energetic movement. The Captain’s Ball choreography is incredibly impressive – one of the few moments where the whole ensemble gets to dance properly – and ‘Do Re Mi’ is given the “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” treatment.
The orchestrations sound sublime thanks to arrangements and musical supervision from George Dyer and musical direction from David Doidge, but there are moments when arrangements of beloved songs are amended for no apparent reason. Some of the songs feel sped up making them feel rushed.
Olivia Laydon for Jill Green Casting, alongside Tom Shiels, has assembled a delightful cast for this production. Molly Lynch returns to Curve in the iconic role of Maria. It takes a little time to adjust to hearing the material sung in an Irish accent (the whole cast use their own accents throughout) but her performance is wonderful. She has a huge amount of energy and great comic timing, and builds a fabulous rapport with the children. She also develops a lovely chemistry with David Seadon-Young’s Captain Georg Von Trapp, whom she reunites with after last Christmas’ My Fair Lady. Seadon-Young delivers wonderful vocals as Georg (his ‘Edelweiss’ is stunning to listen to) and really captures the strength, as well as the anger, of the character.
Joanna Riding takes on the role of the Mother Abbess. She has a lovely maternal rapport with Lynch. Whilst she may not be the powerhouse opera singer whom has previously played the role, she still delivers a lovely and heartfelt rendition of ‘Climb Ev’ry Mountain’. Rachel Izen’s dry comedy works perfectly for Frau Schmidt, whilst she also finds moments of tenderness with Lynch and the children.
Understudy Leonie Spilsbury takes on the role of Baroness Elsa Schraeder in the absence of Faye Brookes. Her vocals are sublime, complemented beautifully by Minal Patel as Max Detweiler. At times, Spilsbury does come across as overly sarcastic though and almost verges on pantomime villain.
The Sound of Music is the perfect Christmas musical, full of joy and warmth, acknowledging the importance of holding onto your loved ones and the things that make you happy even when the world around you is full darkness and uncertainty.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Jacob Bush
The Sound of Music plays at Curve Leicester until 17 January, with further info here.