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Nicholas de Jongh's rating
Pure-voiced and girlish, new Maria lacks passion
By
Nicholas de Jongh
4 Mar 2008
After Connie Fisher, who leapt to instant stardom in the role of Maria, that would-be nun who wouldn't stop singing, her successor, Summer Strallen, comes as something of an anti-climax.
When Jeremy Sams's fresh-faced revival premiered in November 2006 Fisher's governess challenged and overwhelmed memories of Julie Andrews on celluloid. Dispensing with Andrews's purified air of wholesomeness, her chilly sexual allure and humour-free jollity, Fisher offered a far more complex and engaging character. Her quirky, far younger Maria, a bit of a rebel without a cause, viewed the weird von Trapp household with quirky amusement and the loveless children with compassionate sympathy. She humanised the role and kept it free of glucose sentiment.
Her at first unspoken, but passionate attraction to von Trapp gave the musical-what it had hitherto lacked - an interesting sexual dynamic.
Strallen has something of the Connie Fisher approach. Looking barely out of her teens, far too spontaneous and tom-girlish for a sacrificial life-time of Send in the Nuns, she cuts an attractive, exuberant figure, both with Margaret Preece's fine, full-throated Mother Abbess and in the von Trapp villa, which resembles a stately mansion in Robert Jones's design.
Strallen's voice, though sometimes a touch overcome by the 20-strong band, sounds pure enough for Do-Re-Mi and My Favourite Things. Yet when she comes face to face with Simon Burke's Captain von Trapp nothing happens. For both of them it is a case of true indifference at first sight.
Burke's von Trapp, tightly buttoned in a double breasted suit and equipped with a speaking voice that sounds as if trained in the Noel Coward Academy of affected diction, suffers less from a grief that has made him a paternal martinet than an icy stiffness, a chronic arthritis of the personality. He sings Edelweiss with a fine ardour that he never visits upon Strallen, who returns his remoteness with a dispassion of her own. No sexual sparks fly or even take off. When Maria hears the Baron is poised for marriage her face does not fall, let alone collapse. A crucial element of Sams's production has vanished.
Admittedly the lonesome children appeal in word and song; changes of handsome scenes come with effortless ease. The Nazi menace, though, no longer looms that dangerous.
This muted Sound of Music has rather lost its cutting edge.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (5)
Do they grow all those Strallens on a farm somewhere, forcing them like rhubarb under artificial light?
Insipid, technically weak and overly simpering, Strallen's Maria fails to eclipse many amateur dramatic renditions of Maria, let alone Julie or Connie.
Ms. Strallen may have 'trained at Laine Theatre Arts' but she only completed one year, and I suspect may be more influenced by the theatre skills of her aunt Bonnie Langford since her performance owes more to mugging at the audience than musical technique.
- Johnnyfox, London, 19/02/2009 12:37
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Sadly i agree with Lena
maybe its just the fact that the cast are now well into their run but the two leads were awful, Summers Maria was chronic, her voice was far too soft and the orchestra continually drowned her out, she also appeared to have been told to smile more as at the end of any line she fixed the children with a rictus grin that made her look continually deranged and not motherly and caring.
The Captain played by Simon Macorkindale was shockingly bad, his singing voice was awful , those of us who went to see the production could not believe what we were hearing, with no discernible singing talent at all. it was painful watching him struggle through Edelweiss, his acting also was horrendously wooden and the chemistry between himself and Maria was hideous, they both looked like they didnt want to be in the same room as each other let alone in love,and the kiss actually caused laughter it was so akward.
we were deeply dissapointed in the whole affair and the only saving grace was the supremely talented nuns and mother superior and the two supporting cast members of max and Vienna Elsa Schraeder. Thank god for these two and the endlessly impressive set
also i have no idea why parents think the show is a family show at 2 hours and 40 mins it is far too long for children and not particularly humourous or interesting , the hundreds of restless children that talked ,cried,coughed and fidgeted through the ordeal was testament to that.
a massive dissapointment
- Stefan Brown, London, 19/12/2008 10:50
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What a load of rubbish, I thought it was amazing, Summers voice was outstanding, I think a few people may have hearing problems! Maybe they could do a better job?! I think not, Everyone should go and see this show, I give it 9/10.
- Laura Sullivan, Essex, 10/11/2008 17:03
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What a disappointment, the two main characters lacked enthusiasm and passion. Simon Macorkindale in particular was an embarrassment, he was completely out of tune! One could sense his nervousness and lack of singing experience, stick to acting in future!! And as for Summer, was she forced to be there against her will? Her singing was nasal and extremely strained, she seemed to sing through clenched teeth throughout the whole performance. On a positive note, the set was outstanding, the Mother Abbess and the nuns were fantastic, attaining the professionalism one would expect from a West End show. As it is now, I certainly wouldn't recommend this show to anyone.
- Lena Daniel, Wales, 31/08/2008 10:51
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This is an excellent review and of pictures of Summer. We love Summer, she is great!
- Cat, England, UK, 15/03/2008 22:45
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