Theatrical bring a production of 'The Sound Of Music' akin to a warm hug to The National Theatre in St Kilda.
It's a story known the world over of a governess and seven children who form an unbreakable bond through the power of music. The magic of this story is retained in this presentation – an example of the power of community-made theatre.
The cast from beginning to end is a total delight – stand-outs include Charlotte Holland in the role of Liesl, the adorable and totally on-the-ball Adeline Baker as youngest von Trapp child Gretl, Kate Thurkle as the sophisticated yet slightly snarky Baroness Schraeder, Brett O'Meara in the shoes of the charming and hilarious Max Detweiler (who totally steals the show and has audiences cackling), and of course, leading lady, the electric Tayla Dwyer as Maria Rainer.
Tayla brings all the warmth and bliss naivety of Julie Andrews' portrayal to Maria, amping it up for the stage and delivering fantastic vocal performances song after song. The joy she brings to the von Trapp family is completely believable – and the children are a part of this believability, at first unsure of this strange new presence, but eventually crowding around her and in total awe of her energy. Tayla brings her all to this role, and it's really exciting.
L-R: John Parncutt, Kate Thurkle, Brett O'Meara - Image © Nicole Cleary
John Parncutt's Captain von Trapp oozes authority, but his accent is hard to determine, and shifts at times. This is not enough to distract from the character's journey from hardened captain to loving father, however, which is portrayed wonderfully.
Musical highlights are 'The Sound Of Music', 'Do Re Mi' (this one in particular showcasing the dedication and laser focus of the children), 'Sixteen Going On Seventeen' (where Charlotte's Liesl and Kael D'Alterio's Rolf share a gorgeous dance number loaded with chemistry and energy) and 'So Long, Farewell' – a piece which always triggers tears in this reviewer's eyes, and this performance was no exception.
Amanda Stevenson's Mother Abbess delivers a particularly stirring and impressive rendition of 'Climb Ev'ry Mountain' which has the audience noticeably mesmerised – a major turning point in Maria's story which feels like just that here.
Image © Nicole Cleary
It's nothing short of a pleasure to witness community-made theatre on a scale such as this – it's pure, raw 'theatre' in every sense of the word, in a room full of people who clearly adore the story, and adore the experience of watching live actors tell it right before their eyes.
On top of that, it's exciting to watch theatre on this scale knowing that it's where so many of the most iconic names in the industry began – and this reviewer wouldn't be surprised to see some of this cast on national, even international, stages in years to come.
Congratulations to Theatrical who are providing audiences with the opportunity to witness a beautiful show.
