Faced with a change of venue just a few weeks before the show, the Burgess Operatic Society pulled-off a solid perfomance at its opening performance. The Sound of Music was originally going to be at the revamped Martlets Hall but its delayed opening meant producers were forced to move to the Croft Theatre instead.
Despite all the last-minute changes the show itself was well worth it. The classic tale of the Von Trapp family singers needs no introduction and all the popular songs were here, including the opening Sound of Music, Do Re Mi, Climb Ev'ry Mountain and Edelweiss.
Melinda Lawrence, as Maria, and Ian Foster, as Captain Von Trapp, were in fine voice. The loudest applause went to the children's rendition of So Long, Farewell.
Burgess Hill Operatic Society’s production of Rogers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music drew big audiences to Burgess Hill School’s Croft Theatre. And the crowds were particularly captivated by the children’s’ performances, especially their So Long, Farewell.
Melinda Lawrence made an appealing and attractive Maria. She sang her numbers with warmth and feeling but would have benefited from a little more vocal projection. She had a genuine rapport with the von Trapp children. Ian Foster as Georg von Trapp played the aloof, dictatorial Captain well in the first half, and mellowed for the second. His light baritone was well suited to the role and the ensemble singing with Maria, Max and Elsa was well focused. Becki Bowden and David Lane gave a beautiful rendition of Sixteen Going On Seventeen: this was one of the highlights of the show. These two show considerable promise.
Some of the finest singing came from the nuns whose harmony lines blended well. Jen Dowell as the Mother Abbess gave a strong account of Climb Every Mountain and there was good singing from Cherry Woodhouse and Ann-Marie Forster. Newcomers Alex Meikle-Small and Bill Baldock were well in the picture as Elsa and Max. Their acting skills were particularly good.
Congratulations go to Rebecca Dowden, who as director and musical director succeeded in drawing out vocal and acting talents and ensured the orchestra kept the accompaniment sympathetic to the singers. The set was an ambitious project, particularly in view of the size of the cast and stage depth.
Those show stealing children were Daniel Farrow and Paul Foster (Friedrich), Kaitlin Forester and Emily Lincoln (Louisa), Josh Howell and Phillip Gardener (Kurt), Aisha Regan and Lorna Geddie (Brigitta), Amy Hobrow and Luci Lincoln (Marta) and Sarah Hobrow and Laura Jupp (Gretl).