The Sound of Nostalgia
Recreating a classic is fraught with expectations, no matter how much money and talent you throw into it, sometimes it just doesn’t work. But I am elated to say, this production totally nailed it and I defy any audience member to not leave Crown Theatre singing Do-Ra-Me with renewed enthusiasm and swinging their dirndl skirts like spring-fresh frauleins high on alpine hill.
But I have to say, I did not attend opening night with high expectations. Having been disappointed with the last few big budget shows that have come to Perth, I was only half-hearted about leaving the warmth of my cosy home, especially on a wet and windy night and have to glam up in a cocktail frock and arm myself with my favourite thing as was requested on the VIP invitation.
As a die hard fan of the 1965 movie, starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, based on the real life story of a nun who becomes the wife of an Austrian naval captain with seven children, this cast and crew were going to have to work wonders to win me over. Especially since this movie is so close to my heart, believing for much of my childhood that Maria Rainer was in fact the alias of Maria Grill, my very own Austrian grandmother, who would have been around the same age and also lived through the German occupation of Austria during WWII.
Much to the credit of Amy Lehpamer who was perfectly cast as Maria von Trapp (or as I still like to say, my grandmother) this new version of The Sound of Music was in safe hands. I was pleased to read that Amy and I are united in our love of knowing all the lines and songs from the original production. Her performance was flawless, adopting the perfect annunciation of the plum English, which transformed me back to the first time I ever saw the movie.
Lehpamer’s effervescent portrayal of the the nun that struggles with the disciplines of abbey life, is as pure and rare as the Edelweiss from the mountains they sing about.
As with the movie, the von Trapp children, all seven of them, threaten to upstage the leading lady, however this super-talented and equally cute cast of homegrown starlets, work seamlessly together, and to share the limelight of the show.
The celebrity names of the supporting cast include Marina Prior as the glamour Baroness Schraeder, the devious by loveable Uncle Max, played by David James, Lorraine Bayly as Frau Schmidt the house-keeper, and of course the handsome Cameron Daddo as Captain von Trapp. Each play their parts with professionalism, reminding audiences why they are so celebrated in the Australian entertainment industry.
The creative team behind this production have exceeded expectations with not only lavish sets and clever incorporation of modern projections which bring the scenic beauty of the Austrian mountains to life, but they have also mixed up the script, albeit mildly, by just enough to make the story feel fresh and dusted off for those that feel like they might just see something they have seen over and over again, when the movie is aired as the family special once a year.
If you are holding off going to this production because you feel it will be a replica of what you have already seen, or that it will not live up to the film, then let me reassure you, you will be pleasantly surprised. The same way you might feel if a brown paper package tied up with string arrived on your doorstep, or you indulged in plateful of schnitzel and crisp apple strudel; beautifully endeared and filled with warmth and good spirits.
The Sound of Music will be showing at Crown Theatre until 9 October 2016. Matinee performances are available on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
