BWW Reviews: THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, August 5 2013

The Sound of Music is a show that's very difficult to stage badly. Nuns, cute kids, Nazis to boo - throw in some of musical theatre's most hummable songs and it's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

This production at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, under the direction of Rachel Kavanaugh, certainly has a lot going for it. Michael Xavier is a nuanced, understated Captain von Trapp, younger than might usually be cast, and adding a couple of joyously human touches to the transformation wrought by the fiery young governess who's invaded his military machine of a home.

Maria is played by Charlotte Wakefield, in a role that's somewhat of a departure from her previous work. She's a believable and likeable troublesome novice nun, and copes with the rigours of the soprano vocal score largely well, with a few modern musical theatre flourishes that might not be to everyone's taste; however, she still sounds (and looks) very young, particularly with a Liesl (Faye Brookes) who appears a few years older than 16 going on 17.

Maria also has an unusual relationship with the Mother Abbess (Helen Hobson) in this production - a rather enthusiastic friendship, it seems, with much hugging and arm-clutching, rather than a more dignified dynamic. Hobson's rendition of Climb Ev'ry Mountain was a touch underwhelming - perhaps it was the damp night air, but the high notes sounded to be a stretch, which was a disappointment to what's normally a rousing end to the first act.

Caroline Keiff and Michael Matus are entertaining and slick in their cameo roles as the collaborators Elsa Schraeder and Max Detweiler, and it's a testament to them that the audience interest didn't drop during their two numbers, 'How Can Love Survive?' and 'No Way To Stop It', both cut from the film.

Speaking of cuts, for the aficionado it was interesting to note what they'd taken out and what they'd left in (that line about "did a very little boy ever kiss you?" has to be one of the most cringe-inducing in theatre, and inevitably induces uncomfortable giggles in the audience, as it did tonight). There were other choices that I felt didn't quite work, although as most of them were to do with over-exaggeration of lines and movements, perhaps it's a case of personal opinion or the perception of needing to play "big" in the open air venue.

Still, a musical in the Open Air Theatre is always a special occasion, and The Sound of Music invariably guarantees a smile on your face and a tap in your toes, however much you might try to fight it. It's less lavish than the recent Palladium production; it's less subtle than the film; but it's a well performed version of a classic.

The Sound of Music plays the Open Air Theatre until September.

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