Review: THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Leicester Curve

There are some stories that never grow old, and The Sound of Music is definitely one of them. Sixty years after the movie premiered, and sixty-six since the stage show first hit Broadway, this tale of love, family, the healing power of music, and resistance against persecution in 1930s Austria is as relevant and heartwarming as ever. Leicester Curve’s Christmas production, directed by Nikolai Foster, gives it a fresh new look while honouring the original and providing beautiful renditions of the Rodgers and Hammerstein songs we know and love.

Returning to the Curve stage after starring in last year’s My Fair Lady are Molly Lynch and David Seadon-Young, this time playing Maria, the young and spirited postulant nun based on the real-life Maria Rainer, and Captain von Trapp, the widowed naval captain whose seven children Maria is sent to be a governess for. 

It’s always tempting for actresses to channel Julie Andrews in this role, but Lynch steps away from that interpretation entirely, with great success. She is an absolute delight as Maria, full of irrepressible energy and youthful eagerness, with bright and clear vocals that soar over the trees. Her enthusiasm lights up the entire production, and she makes a lovely counterpart to Seadon-Young’s stern but sensitive Captain. 

It would have been nice to see more of their relationship though; Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse’s book has been trimmed to around two hours, which means that the production zips along at an impressive pace, but we have little time to see the chemistry develop between Maria and the Captain.

The Sound of Music is a show that relies heavily on its supporting cast, and they do an excellent job. Joanna Riding is surprisingly empathetic as The Mother Abbess, allowing her love for Maria to shine through, and she forms a wonderful comic quartet with fellow nuns Leonie Spilsbury, Keanna Bloomfield and Megan Ellis. Minal Patel is appropriately affable as Max Detweiler, the Captain’s morally ambiguous friend, and Faye Brookes is entertaining, if a little over the top as thwarted love interest Elsa Schraeder. The seven von Trapp children are great fun to watch, adding a touch of realness to the production, and jumping right into Ebony Molina’s pleasingly haphazard choreography.

If there’s a performance that doesn’t sit quite right, it’s Christian Cooper’s Rolf, the would-be boyfriend of eldest von Trapp daughter Liesl (a charming Aviva Tulley). He’s played here as a controlling, sexually aggressive young man, making ‘Sixteen Going On Seventeen’ less sweet and more uncomfortable than it usually is, and undermining the point of Rolf’s character: that even seemingly nice young people can easily be seduced by disturbing ideologies.

That aside, the looming threat of the National Socialist party is well portrayed throughout the show, adding a sinister touch to moments that would otherwise be filled with hope. Mother Abbess sings ‘Climb Ev’ry Mountain’ to inspire Maria, but Nazi soldiers line the hills behind her, silhouetted against the sky, and they lurk on the outskirts of the wedding scene later, a sharp contrast to the confetti drifting down. The oncoming storm brews in the von Trapp party scene too, where George Dyer’s new orchestral arrangements add percussive elements that sound very much like naval gunfire.

The palpable menace of the Nazi party also creates an interesting tension with the modernity of Lynch and Seadon-Young’s performances, inviting audiences to look around them at what’s happening in the world today. To that end, it’s good to see the presence of Max, Elsa and the Captain’s song ‘No Way To Stop It’, which doesn’t appear in the film but is a vital look at different approaches to fascism, and a reminder that all it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to remain silent.

The Curve’s expansive stage is the ideal venue for a show set in the Austrian alps and Michael Taylor’s stunning set designs make full use of it. Imposing mountains stand guard at the back of the stage throughout and a rocky path wanders beside a real bubbling brook, while fly-in set pieces of a stunning abbey window and Maria’s under-the-eaves bedroom allow easy scene changes while never losing the Tyrolean feel. Mark Henderson’s lighting adds beauty too, from misty evening mountaintops to the candlelit abbey to a grand chandeliered party at the Von Trapp home. 

There is so much to love in this production, and for audiences looking for a festive treat filled with wonderful performances, beloved songs and a message of hope and unity, this is a must-see. 

The Sound of Music at Leicester Curve until 17 January 2026