Kirsty Findlay and the von Trapp children in The Sound of Music at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Picture: Fraser Band
The Sound of Music continues at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre until 22 December 2024.
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Outgoing artistic director of Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Elizabeth Newman has said: “I have wanted to direct Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music for a very long time. It was a family favourite growing up; we’d sit down every Christmas to watch it together.” This is probably typical of families all over the country – it’s a show we can all relate to; a show so beloved and familiar.
This production comes with sweeping gulps of fresh air. Firstly, in what can now be seen as a Pitlochry trademark, every actor is a skilled musician and they move seamlessly between dialogue and action to being part of the orchestra. Richard Reeday’s orchestral arrangements are beautiful and perfectly balanced with the singing voices.
Secondly in the flexible staging: Ruari Murchison’s deceptively simple design is a stepped revolving stage, suggesting location and travel and is used to great effect, supported by stunning lighting designed by Chris Davey. Julie Carlin is also worthy of note for the standard of the costumes – detailed and full of character.
Most importantly of all the entire cast are bursting with talent, energy and sincerity. Kirsty Findlay’s Maria is absolute joy, endearingly capturing the hearts of the audience as naturally as she wins the love of the children and Captain von Trapp. It is wonderful to hear the dialogue spoken in Scottish accents, linking the Austrian landscape to the hills surrounding the Pitlochry Festival Theatre as well as landing so pleasingly on the ear.
As Captain von Trapp, Ali Watt is dashing and witty. Again in Scots voice, perhaps to link that he and Maria come from the same place and their love of the mountains is a common bond. Their scenes together come over as such a natural pairing and their singing voices blend beautifully.
In Christian Edwards, we find the perfect Max Detweiler, bringing a freshness through his completely natural delivery, brilliant timing and oozing charm at the slightest opportunity. His scenes with the Baroness (played by Hannah Baker) are sharp and precise and in the trio of ‘How Can Love Survive?’ there’s an almost Brechtian tone – perfectly fitting the period and tension for these characters.
There are two casts for the children’s roles over the course of the run and every single one that I saw was bang on target, particularly in their love for Maria. Led by the eldest, Liesl (Sally Cheng) there is an ease between these youngsters that speaks of the skill and care taken in bringing them together as a ‘family’. Liesl is delightfully naive and romantic, particularly in her duet with Rolf (Elliot Gooch). Their performance of ‘Sixteen Going On Seventeen’ even features Rolf playing the trumpet! It actually brings a great deal to their romance and adds a pathos to Rolf’s later appearances when he still carries his trumpet. The instrument has been silenced as he follows the Third Reich in their annexation of Austria.
The nun chorus is fabulous – spine-tingling harmony and great joy colour their black and white world. The integration of instruments is again wonderfully done. In Maria’s scenes with the Mother Abbess, Kate Milner-Evans, the quality of singing is breathtaking. ‘My Favourite Things’ and ‘Climb Ev’ry Mountain’ (a glorious contrast) in the Reverend Mother’s office have an intimacy about them with the sparse furnishings and simple lighting. The Abbey wedding scene opens up from the intimate setting to the ceremonial grandeur of the Wedding March – a stunning moment.
The backdrop to the love story of political change, people forced to leave their homes into exile, sadly has a contemporary resonance and for those who wish to find them, there are some clever arrangements in the orchestration that literally underscore this resonance. Time simply flies during this production – packed with detail, wonder and sheer delight.
As this is Newman’s finale as AD of Pitlochry Festival Theatre, this production is her last Christmas present to the audience. The Sound of Music has a level of detail and outstanding performances that merits seeing more than once. Thank you, Ms Newman – this is unmissable. Wonderful.
Fiona Orr
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