The Sound of Music arrived in Oxford yesterday, bringing its sickly sweetness and familiar notes to the New Theatre. Martin Connor's touring production, produced by Bill Kenwright, felt a bit like savouring a fluffy red velvet cake doused with heaps of buttercream.
The cast deliver strong performances and smooth pitch perfection throughout, but the undercurrent of the looming political darkness of the Third Reich is underplayed. The focus is instead on the songs made famous by the 1965 US film, musical drama, which feature prominently throughout. The production also introduces stunning costumes of the wealthy Austrian elite, and shifts between moving sets, punctuating developments between the Nonnberg abbey, Salzburg mountains and von Trapp estate.
The opening scenes introduce us to the nuns and Mother Abbess at Nonnberg abbey, deliberating the future of postulate Maria. They treat us to all the expectation of a joyful and energetic Maria through their endearing version of 'How do we Solve a Problem Like Maria'. Although charming, the scene is lengthy - too much buttercream perhaps?
With the expectation established, Lucy O'Byrne does not disappoint. She brings all the delight and vigour of a Julia Andrews-type Maria von Trapp, while treating us to faultless performances of 'My Favourite Things', 'Do-Re-Mi' and 'The Hills are Alive'.
The nuns ship Maria off to the home of retired, and widowed, naval officer Captain Georg von Trapp. Maria is to be governess to his seven children — Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, Kurt, Brigitta, Marta, and Gretl. The development of Maria's relationship with the children goes from slight reluctance on the part of the children to receive an outsider, to adoration within one rendition of 'Do-Re-Mi'. The 'falling in love' moment between Maria and the Captain is similarly conveyed in one dance, the traditional Austrian Ländler folk dance no less.
The relationship between Mother Abbess and Maria, however, is nurtured throughout. Mother Abbess, played exceptionally by Jan Hartley, ends the first set with a heartfelt rendition of 'Climb Ev'ry Mountain', encouraging Maria to find her own path. That guidance helps transform Maria from young and unsure into a determined and resolute woman.
That strength, however, is downplayed when Georg von Trapp is confronted with requests to work for the Nazi regime and travel to Germany. Rather than helping guide the Captain's already strong conviction against the horror of the fascist regime, Maria tells Georg she will follow him whatever he chooses. Georg decides not to be complicit in the horror, and the family seeks refuge in another country. The stories of families torn apart by horror and war are shown but this production fails to fully display the tensions between Nazi collaborators and anti-fascists.
Provided you can forgive the dated gender roles and the sticky sweetness of this musical, you will have a wonderful time, floating in the light, velvety-ness of this version of the now classic Sound of Music.