Last Friday, for our big London outing, we decided that we’d see The Sound of Music in the West End. Although we did, on the whole enjoy it a lot (it was The Sound of Music, after all), there were a few, er, unexpected surprises. First, the isolated crackling of a bag of candy in the first half which turned into a roar in the second half. The crowd was about 60% kiddies and the theatre not only didn’t forbid food and drinks, but they actually sold them during intermission. I mean really. Could we not, as a society, agree that there are a few events in life for which we will leave our gummi bears, potato chips, and plastic cups of beer at home?
Second, not that this is a surprise, but there is only one Julie Andrews. The woman who played Maria was pretty good, but it was a little like watching Lucille Ball woo Captain Von Trapp—borderline slapstick in many places. And she sang through her nose. She sang well otherwise, but through her nose. (And I thought to myself, “If I’d known you could make it to a starring role in a major West End musical by singing through your nose, maybe I’d have stuck with that music business awhile longer!”)
The worst, however, was Captain Von Trapp (Simon MacCorkindale). Tone deaf. Absolutely freaking tone deaf. Like, cover-your-face-with-your-hands-while-gasping-in-pain tone deaf. He broke into “The Sound of Music” and I started crying “Make it stop!” And then the line, “and I’ll sing…once…more” and I thought “#$%#$%!!! He’s got another solo in the festival scene! And in the stupid “somewhere in my youth or childhood” song. Make it stop!”
And then my feelings towards the crackling gummi bear bags and crunching potato chips warmed somewhat.
[sjw typing with her mouth full] mm. you know [crunch, crunch] i never was much [glug, glug, glug, crumple plastic cup] for the sound of music anyway. [munch, much, chew, chew]
ReplyDeletesorry your experience was less than stellar. very odd to have candy, beer and children at the theater. it's not like it's a movie...
Talinn,
ReplyDeleteNext time you are in Seattle during the summer months, we are going to Leavenworth, an oh-too-quaint Barvarian tourist town east of Seattle. Every summer, they have an outdoor production of SOM, and the opening act includes a Maria actually coming through the hills to the theater. Perhaps it will replace the disappointment of this experience.