North West Theatre

The Sound of Music

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II
12 Oct 10 to 20 Oct 10
Liverpool Empire Theatre

The story of the Von Trapp family's flight across the mountains with a score that includes My Favourite Things, Do-Re-Mi, Climb Ev'ry Mountain, The Lonely Goatherd and, of course, the title song The Sound of Music.

Starring Connie Fisher as Maria, Michael Praed as Captain Von Trapp and Marilyn Hill Smith as Mother Abbess.

This production... has quality running all the way through it... Connie Fisher plays Maria with the same crisp wholesomeness as Dame Julie Andrews did... all of the songs featuring the full complement of Von Trapps were a joy. The nuns of Nurnberg Abbey in full throttle were also impressive, with a powerful solo from the Mother Abbess (opera singer Marilyn Hill Smith) practically blowing the roof off... Definitely a favourite thing this autumn.
Liverpool Daily Post
Connie Fisher confirms conclusively she’s the modern Maria in town with a performance that’s warm and genuine... a handsomely staged show on designer Robert Jones’ beautiful original Palladium sets... an excellent vocal ensemble... At times, particularly at the start of the first half, it all feels strangely subdued, while at others the storyline feels rushed... the Von Trapp children... are magnificent, but special mention must go to Jay Lee as Brigitta, and to word perfect Claudia Hall as Gretl...
Liverpool Echo (Rating: 7/10)
Connie Fisher, winner of the TV show How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria, proves why she won, wowing the audience... The music of Rodgers and Hammerstein is timeless... all sung with verve and meaning by the well chosen cast... The scenery is magnificent... The children almost steal the show, especially the youngest, Gretl, played by six-year-old Claudia Hall... finely choreographed by Arlene Phillips... Although there are no big fireworks, the show does what it says on the tin and is a big crowd pleaser
What's On Stage (Rating: 4/5)
Philippa Buxton as Maria really shone... Marilyn Hill Smith’s portrayal of The Mother Abbess was outstanding... Michael Praed as Georg gave an excellent interpretation of the controlling father... the children were amazing and lit up... especially Gretl played by Claudia Hall... Robert Jones’ design was stunning... Jeremy Sams’ direction kept the pace up and the energy from lagging... well worth a visit...
The Public Reviews (Rating: 3/5)