Review: The Sound of Music
Congratulations to all of the Spotlight Theatre volunteers for an excellent production of The Sound of Music. I had planned on a Friday night off, but was inspired to write this quick highlights review of the latest sold-out Spotlight Theatre run….
For anyone who has not seen the film or musical, The Sound of Music is a romantic feel-good coming-of-age story, set against the backdrop of the Nazi invasion of Austria—about a postulant who finds true love while acting as governess to the seven children of the widowed Captain von Trapp. The stage show does have several differences from the much-loved film version, but it still calls for a strong lead actress. Fortunately, Gabriella Flowers is such a ‘moonbeam’: carefree when singing in the hills, contrite and confident in the Abbey, uplifting and enthusiastic as a teacher and confidant to her young charges, and naïve and charming when falling in love with Captain Von Trapp. Gabriella Flowers is also an impressive vocalist—making the challenging Lonely Goatherd yodelling look effortless, and then proving that it is possible to succeed when working with children (I just loved Flowers’ Do-Re-Mi performance with the children).
All of the female voices in this production were strong. The Nuns’ Praeludium, Processional and Finale numbers were impeccable and quite moving—as a reminder of just quite how special liturgical music can be when performed by talented singers. Congratulations to Liam Gatt, Vocal Director, and to each of the leading Nuns—including Carolyn Latter, who deserves praise for giving us an excellent Mother Abbess who certainly rises to the vocal challenge of Climb Every Mountain. And it would be remiss of me not to highlight Grace Nean’s strong portrayal of the maturing Liesl. Grace Nean has an excellent stage presence and voice. I was particularly impressed with the way in which Nean captured the ‘first love’ moments in the first Act Sixteen Going on Seventeen, and I loved the reprise Act Two duet between Maria and Liesl.
The Von Trapp children were all well-cast and quite charming—which is fortunate, as I had forgotten quite how much time they spend on stage. Congratulations to each of Liesl’s six siblings, and to their parents for supporting the dreams of these talented young actors.
Of the male leads, I really enjoyed Chris Hawkins’s believable Captain Von Trapp—particularly when struggling to manage his household of seven children (Hawkins made me smile in the whistle introductions’), when falling in love with Maria, and in portraying the challenge of being true to his Austrian heritage in the face of the Nazi invasion. Neil Watson’s Max was on point and provided the required light relief to Frau Schrader’s city style (where Nicky Fisser’s Elsa was also an elegant and worldly-wise counterpoint to Flowers’ Maria)—and hats off to Watson for managing the first act microphone problems with aplomb. Jake Stubbs (Rolf Gruber) was suitably gauche, but I just wanted a little more rounded performance (perhaps I just need to see Stubbs in another role?).
There are a few small issues for my ‘wish list.’ There were minor problems with the sound on the night I saw the show. The set would have benefited from the big budgets of the professional companies—but its very simplicity made for quick set changes, and the ‘mountains’ backdrop was captivating. The costumes were excellent—with great choices of Austrian outfits and wedding dress for Maria, and charming costume changes for the children—but the wigs could have been improved upon. However, these are small points; a big professional company budget would have course made for different choices.
Congratulations to David Valks (Director), and to all involved behind the scenes at Spotlight Theatre. The Sound of Music was a memorable production that demonstrates the importance of community theatre. For Brisbane audiences, the journey to the Gold Coast can be lengthy, and it’s such a pity that the extended run of The Sound of Music sold out so quickly. Perhaps the Spotlight Theatre team might explore a future partnership with Brisbane-based community theatres, so that their most successful productions could have a longer, touring run to reach wider audiences?
Verdict: Watch out for any future production staring Gabriella Flowers. And keep an eye on Spotlight Theatre’s social media and website, as their shows often sell out before the first reviews are written!
Audience information: The Sound of Music (9 February-9 March, see poster, below), Spotlight Theatre, Benowa, Gold Coast. All ages. Tickets $30-45.
Credits: Music by Richard Rodgers. Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Book by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse.
The reviewer enjoyed a night off at the 23 February 2024 performance.
