A musical journey!
A classic timeless piece, The Sound of Music, is sure to be a treat for everyone. A revival for adults and a perfect way to initiate the kids into this musical, writes SHIKHA JAIN
The Sound of Music has generated interest in people of all age-groups despite the era and region-specific settings. Talking about young love and war, it has appealed to the young students and also, because of the children’s characters.
The Sound of Music – Season 2 is just another rendition. The entire interpretation, visualisation is different to what Raëll Padamsee’s ACE (Academy for Creative Expression) did eight years ago for the first time.
When it’s all about theatre
Growing up in a theatre family, where the entire house was designed as a theatre then, how could it be possible for
Raëll Padamsee to not to be in this profession? It’s been 25 years since she has been in the field.
“The drawing room was the stage, the terrace would be audience, so our whole vision was theatre-centric. Both my parents were from theatre. My father was very keen in getting me an MBA, and nothing related to the theatre. I think so much studying, and especially accounts wasn’t something that was up my street. So maybe, in rebellion of that as well made me join theatre. Also, because it was in my blood, I was acting and at the age of 15, I was directing,” says Raëll.
“The first show was eight years ago and from then and now, there has been a tremendous change. This one has a much younger team, the vocal director has worked with the voices, so it is extremely interesting in terms of many different part harmonies. Our visualisation and the sets are very different”, Raëll adds.
The story
The final collaboration between Rodgers and Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical. When a postulant, Maria (played by Meher Mistry), proves too highspirited for the religious life, she is dispatched to serve as governess for the seven children of a widowed naval, Captain von Trapp. Her growing rapport with the youngsters, coupled with her generosity, gradually captures the heart of the stern Captain, and they marry. Upon returning from their honeymoon they discover that the Nazis, who demand the Captain’s immediate service in their navy, have invaded Austria. The family’s narrow escape over the mountains to Switzerland on the eve of World War II provides one of the most thrilling and inspirational finales ever
presented in theatre. Arunoday Singh, who plays the Captain, speaking about his theatre debut says, “This was my first time. I thought the people at Ace were hugely capable of handling a very complicated production. My take away is to trust the process. All things take time to settle and run smoothly and everyone gets their act together on show
night. I would like to work with them again, but the play decides my opinion. It’s the first movie I ever saw. It’s my mother’s all-time favourite. It was challenging trying to compete with how fondly and perfect it seems in memory. I’m Captain von Trapp. And of course, I was looking forward to it.”
The crew of kids
With children, they did an open audition, and in The Sound of Music, they have 100 children from different NGOs. Raëll Padamsee’s ACE also has 50 other participants from mainstream, who are professional actors and dancers. And the play is happening for the first time in Opera House, Mumbai.
The academy also has eight different productions on right now and perform either in Mumbai, across the country or abroad. They have done five shows of The Sound of Music in February this year, and they are doing five shows this month and, hopefully, they will be doing more later.
“We do a lot of musical theatre; apart from The Sound of Music, we have also done Grease the Musical and Jesus Christ of Pisa. We have also done Indian playwrights like Broken Images by Girish Karnad. Then there are our own original plays like Mahatma – Come Find the Gandhi in You and then there was Rediscover the Epic, which is bringing the Ramayana back to today’s context. We don’t have a domain; it is varied. We have also brought in a lot of international acts, like Tribute Band, Abba, Australian Bee Gees,” says Raëll.
The Sound of Music is being showcased on the April 20 at 8:00 pm and on April 21 & 22 at 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm, respectively at The Royal Opera House.