Some of the actors from the Sound of Music show who attended the press conference yesterday. PICTURE: Nasar TK.
By Joey Aguilar
Staff Reporter
Award-winning musical Sound of Music will debut in Qatar from November 26-29 at the Qatar National Convention Centre.
“The production was played in Dubai twice and in Bahrain, the last was in 2012 and this has been refreshed and renewed; it’s a new cast,” said Lucy Hunter-James (known as “Lucy”) at a press conference yesterday.
She was joined by Paul Robinson, who will play Captain von Trapp, and some of the 26 actors mostly from London’s West End and Broadway.
The production comprises nearly 50 individuals from London and a similar number from the State Media, the organiser and presenter of the musical.
Lucy told reporters that spectators will have a “lovely journey” throughout. The production, lasting two hours and 20 minutes, features lavish costumes and sets as well as live orchestra and music.
She noted that the crowd will also see a lot of scripts besides singing and dancing.
“But it is a very clear script and such a beautiful love story,” she said.
While the Sound of Music has played in various parts of the world, a member of the cast said every performance had something new since they usually sang a couple of extra songs and engaged the audience.
The lead character pointed out that watching a live stage performance is quite different from watching the movie.
Asked to compare the audience in the Middle East with those in the West, she said it is “more exciting and extra special” in this part of the world because it does not happen very often.
“In the western part, obviously you have a huge market, a huge amount of choice, plays, musicals and concepts to go and see every day,” she explained. “There is a lot of excitement in the air, a lot of possibility.”
Lucy has performed in various musicals in London and Dubai. These include Oliver!, Blood Brothers, Fame, Annie and The Wizard of Oz.
Monzer al-Samad, executive manager at State Media, told reporters that to bring such a show with a huge production is not simple. It took them nearly a year of planning, he added.
The Sound of Music had received five Oscars, including Best Picture. Its soundtrack remains the best selling musical of all time going to platinum more than 12 times.
Some of the popular songs in the musical include Do Re Mi, The Lonely Goatherd, Climb Ever’ry Mountain, Edelweiss and Sixteen Going on Seventeen.
