Mother Marilyn steals the show

The Sound of Music, Palace Theatre, Manchester
THE PALACE Theatre was alive with the Sound of Music as fans of the hit musical were transported to the Austrian alps for the evening.

Telling the much-loved tale of the novice nun Maria and her adventures with the singing Von Trapp family, the story revolves around the classic tunes by songwriting duo Rogers and Hammerstein.

And it’s clear the music is as much the star of the show as the actors who perform in this slick and sunny Andrew Lloyd Webber production.

The musical last hit the Manchester stage in December, 2009, with TV talent show winner Connie Fisher, who took top spot in Lloyd Webber’s televised hunt for a new Maria, in the lead role.

Here it’s ex-Emmerdale actress Verity Rushworth showing off her skills.

As the all-singing postulant, she gives a charming, pitch-perfect performance with just the right amount of innocence and determination for the character made famous by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film.

The seven Von Trapp children are stars in the making and melted many a heart with their energetic renditions of “So Long, Farewell” and “The Lonely Goatherd”.

But the show was stolen by opera singer Marilyn Hill Smith as The Mother Abbess who performed a stunning, spine-tingling “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” at the end of Act One which brought the house down.

Former “Neighbours” star and 80’s pop sensation Jason Donovan was less convincing as Captain Georg Von Trapp.

But putting his limited vocal range and confusing accent aside, you couldn’t fail to warm to the softening of his spiky character and his on-stage chemistry with Maria.

Smooth set changes and clever choreography by Arlene Phillips saw the first act fly by in a blur of memorable scenes and musical numbers.

While the second act contained fewer hits and concentrated more on the approaching Nazi threat and escape from the Salzburg Music Festival, the audience was ready and waiting for the final escape over the mountains.

A standing ovation proved that many will be back to relive the magic and ensure it remains one of their favourite things.