The Theatre Channel – Rodgers and Hammerstein special
Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
The Theatre Channel in collaboration with Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre celebrates the work of Rodgers & Hammerstein in its seventh episode. This episode which is released ahead of the venue’s unique take on the classic Carousel is a musical celebration that gives a glimpse of what is to come in the live show.
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s iconic songs are showcased throughout, but we see a contemporary spin on the material as the performers create modern scenarios throughout the park. Although created in a different era, many of these songs still resonate today and continue to inspire audiences.
Caroline Sheen performs ‘Whistle a Happy Tune’ from The King and I as she waits to audition which brings a familiarity to the pre-audition/interview nerves.
The first-class songs from The Sound of Music are brought to our screen firstly by Tavio Wright and Ethlinn Rose as they bounce to ‘Sixteen Going on Seventeen’. Their joyful and innocent rendition of the song, performed under a park pergola in a scene reminiscent of the much-loved movie, they echo Liesl and Rolfe’s passion and naivety.
The Sound of Music continues as we hear a beautiful interpretation of ‘Climb Every Mountain’ with ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ lead by Michael Xavier. The track may be more familiar to many as a football chant, but it gives shivers here as Xavier is joined on stage by other members of the cast, performing to an empty auditorium.
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s songs tell a story but they are stories that are open to interpretation. Carousel, which is running from 31 July to 25 September 2020 at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, features many of these classic numbers and involves a hard-hitting portrayal of domestic violence. It is a serious subject that Rodgers and Hammerstein did not shy away from, suggesting that the songwriters were not afraid to face up to real-life issues in the era they were writing.
Molly Kerrigan
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