Reviews
Joyous, moving and oh so professional, Wimborne Musical Theatre's production of The Sound of Music, which was staged at The Tivoli Theatre last week, was as good as it gets. I attended with six friends on Thursday, which was the third night that the company had received a standing ovation. To be so enthused that you feel compelled to stand to applaud is emotional enough for the audience, but when you have just heard the most wonderful rendition of Climb Every Mountain it is almost a six-hankie job.
Wimborne Musical Theatre Society, previously known as Broadstone Light-Operatic Society, has a company of hugely talented singers. Heather Pretlove, who played the Mother Abbess, was just sensational. On a par with her vocal ability was Sharron Pearcy who portrayed a Maria to rival the legendary Julie Andrews. We are talking exceptional range and pitch for both performers.
They had an excellent support from other members of the society, in addition to 12 members of West Moors Singers, who provided the Nuns and chorus.
In order to comply with child performance legislation, there were two sets of children. I can't speak for the second set, but the youngsters who played the parts of the Von Trapp children on the night I attended, gave faultless, and enchanting performances.
The Sound of Music, a favourite musical of many, but derided by others as being too schmaltzy, contains so many memorable songs such as the title song, Do-Re-Me, Edelweiss and My Favourite Things which tumble through the story.
Roger and Hammerstein's immortal musical has not been available to the amateur stage for some time, but it was in the safest of hands with director Roy Joseph, musical director Alan Beech and choreographer Suzi De Villiers. The backcloths from The Real Scenery Company complemented this splendid production, and the scene changes were quick and seamless.
My only problem, is that I will be unable to review another production of The Sound of Music as I feel it would be impossible to improve upon last week's magical evening.
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