The Sound Of Music - Curve Theatre Review

★★★★☆

Every Christmas, Leicester’s Curve Theatre forgoes the glitter-drenched world of pantomime in favour of something a little warmer and more substantial: the annual Christmas musical. This year, the torch is passed to The Sound of Music, a title so beloved that many audience members arrive already humming “Do-Re-Mi.” But is a musical set on the brink of World War II really the best candidate for festive family theatre—or is it precisely the kind of heart, resilience, and joy we all need at this time of year?

Molly Lunch as Maria with the Von Trapp Children. Photo credit: Mark Brenner.

For those who haven’t revisited the story in a while, The Sound of Music follows Maria, a spirited and impulsive postulant whose free-spirited nature doesn’t quite fit within the abbey walls. Sent to the home of the widowed Captain von Trapp to serve as governess to his seven children, she brings laughter, music, and warmth back into a household dulled by grief. As she and the Captain begin to fall in love, their happiness is threatened by the encroaching rise of Nazism in Austria. Ultimately, the family must rely on their unity and the healing power of music to escape a world growing increasingly dangerous.

From the moment the curtain rises, it’s clear that Made at Curve productions continue to uphold the theatre’s high standards, delivering a version of The Sound of Music that feels familiar yet freshly imagined. Michael Taylor’s set contributes enormously to that sense of newness. A grassy hillside stretches across the back of the stage, instantly reminiscent of the film’s iconic opening shots and giving the production a welcome cinematic sweep. Clever fly-in set pieces—a soaring church window, the slanted roof of a bedroom—keep transitions swift and effective, while the rolling spiral staircase that heralds the von Trapp home offers a strong sense of grandeur. The one misstep, however, is the perpetually trickling waterfall, introduced for a single lyric in the opening number and left on constantly. During quieter scenes and moments of silence, its constant burbling becomes more distracting than atmospheric.

But whatever minor quibbles exist with the set fade the moment Molly Lynch steps onstage as Maria. Lynch is immediately charming, bright, funny, and confident, and her vocals are simply gorgeous. Her Maria is neither a Julie Andrews imitation nor a reinvention for reinvention’s sake; instead, she brings a refreshing wit to the role, making the character’s impish humour and emotional honesty feel natural and deeply endearing. She is at her best when teasing the children or standing her ground with the Captain, and the audience falls in love with her just as quickly as the von Trapps do.

David Seadon-Young as Captain Georg Von Trap with the Von Trapp Children. Photo Credit: Marc Brenner.

Opposite her, David Seadon-Young offers a thoughtful, deeply felt performance as Captain von Trapp. Returning to Curve after last year’s Christmas musical, Seadon-Young begins with the commanding presence one expects of the Captain; stern, structured, emotionally shuttered. However, his best work emerges in the moments where that façade begins to crack. His vulnerability is warm, grounded, and entirely believable, making his journey from distant patriarch to loving father and partner genuinely moving. It’s no surprise Curve brought him back; he anchors the production with sincerity and strength.

One of the delights of this production is the number of smaller roles that shine. Rachel Izen’s Frau Schmidt is the perfect example, easily the funniest performance of the night. Izen’s dry, deadpan humour lands every time, but what sets her apart is her subtlety. As the household shifts and brightens, so does Frau Schmidt, and Izen charts that transformation with such delicacy that you almost don’t realise how invested you’ve become in her. It’s a joy to see a character so often relegated to the background given such genuine shape and charm.

Elsewhere in the cast, Joanna Riding delivers the show’s most thrilling vocal moment as the Mother Abbess. Her rendition of “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” earns its ovation with ease; powerful, expansive, and delivered with an emotional clarity that makes the number soar. Riding’s Mother Abbess is less a distant authority figure and more a warm, wise presence, giving the show’s spiritual centre a touch of grace.

Molly Lynch as Maria and Rachel Izen as Grau Schmidt. Photo Credit: Marc Brenner.

Faye Brookes is another delight, giving Elsa Schraeder a brilliantly comic flair. Her performance is big, bold, and irresistibly funny, and the audience instantly warms to her blend of elegance and self-aware humour. She manages to make a character so often dismissed as “the other woman” into something engaging and entertaining.

Not every interpretation lands quite so effectively. Christian Cooper’s Rolf Gruber feels misjudged, leaning into a controlling, aggressive energy that undermines the character’s usual arc. Rolf is most compelling when portrayed as a naïve teenager swept up in ideology he doesn’t fully understand; here, his shift toward Nazism feels inevitable rather than dramatic, and his later moment of hesitation offers him no redemption. The choice isn’t disastrous, but it does rob the story of one of its more emotionally potent beats.

Still, the production finds great strength in the performances of the von Trapp children: Aviva Tulley (Liesl), Leo Hollingsworth (Friedrich), Matilda Hennessy (Louisa), Theodore Traat (Kurt), Isla Granville (Brigitta), Georgia Roga (Marta), and Mimi-Kimara Clarson (Gretl). Each brings charm, confidence, and energy to their roles. They are consistently engaging without ever feeling over-rehearsed or overly cutesy, a fine balance in a show where the children carry so much weight. The audience adored them, and rightfully so.

Photo Credit: Mark Brenner.

Nikolai Foster’s direction ties all of this together with confidence and clarity. The production honours the traditional emotional beats of the story while allowing for enough freshness that it never feels like a carbon copy of the film. Some will undoubtedly miss the iconic visual markers—particularly for Maria—but Foster’s vision is strong enough to stand comfortably on its own. George Dyer’s musical supervision enhances the production beautifully; the orchestra sounds lush and bright, even if it did overpower the vocals in the early scenes (a balance thankfully corrected as the show continues).

By the time the von Trapps begin their climb across the mountains, it’s clear that this Sound of Music is a thoughtful and genuinely enjoyable take on a classic. Its heart, humour, and musicality are undeniable. This is a show full of earworms, nostalgia, and unexpectedly moving moments. You’ll likely walk out humming half the score, possibly even singing it full voice on the way home, impressed at how many of the lyrics you actually know.

In short, it’s well worth seeing. A lovely alternative to the usual Christmas pantomime, a faithful yet fresh adaptation of a beloved musical, and a production filled with performances that shine.