Yorkshire

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It’s no small task taking on one of the most beloved roles in musical history. But Katie Bird makes the role entirely her own with her resonant operatic voice. By the time she’d finished singing her first song (The Hills Are Alive, natch), we were totally won over. 



Bird is not the only thing different in this fantastic production from Opera North. If you’re coming at this having only seen the film, there are a few differences in the stage show. Some songs are missing (I Have Confidence) and there are some additions (How Can Love Survive and No Way To Stop It).



And this is also Opera North and, regardless of the differences between the stage show and the film, they were always going to put their own unique stamp on it. As with many of the company’s shows, lighting and set play a key role and the whole thing opens in the abbey, complete with candlelit nuns. This sets the scene for an emotionally resonant production, directed by Nikolai Foster, with revival direction by Ollie Khurshid.



Maria enters the stage, disrupting the peace and quiet and generally being adorable (perhaps more believably adorable than Andrews herself) all over the place. If you don’t know the story (where have you been?) she’s a disruptive nun who is given some “time out” to go and work in the house of a widowed baron with seven children. And so on. You do probably know the rest by now.&nbsp;



The children are a key part of the production and boy do they show up, complete with tight harmonies, well-executed choreography (thanks to Ebony Molina and Dale White) and good comic timing. They’re a real joy to watch. 



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Captain Von Trapp (confession time: Edward Bennett is one of Muddy Yorkshire’s longtime RSC crushes and she may or may not have yelped a bit when he came on stage) is solid and, though not a singer to match his co-star or the Opera North chorus, he’s an engaging and sympathetic captain. The chemistry between all the actors (especially Liesl and Rolf &#8211; oh goodness) is such that we were on the edge of our seats rooting for all of them at every stage.&nbsp;



Yes, it’s a happy show full of bangers and we know all the songs but it’s still set during Nazi Austria and this is handled with a seriousness that doesn’t detract from the joy. When the Von Trapps leave for the border, the Nazis position themselves in the auditorium boxes and the searchlights turn on the audience in a moment of genuinely unsettling theatre.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1920" height="1274" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/07/Soundof3.jpg" alt="Sound of Music, Opera North" class="wp-image-8756" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/07/Soundof3.jpg 1920w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/07/Soundof3-300x199.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/07/Soundof3-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/07/Soundof3-768x510.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2026/07/Soundof3-1536x1019.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" /></figure>



A special mention for the fantastic 40-piece orchestra, who make the musical what it is. Some of them even make it onto the stage for a lovely quartet during the party scene. And, of course, the Mother Abbess herself, sung spectacularly by Katherine Broderick.&nbsp;



Spoiler alert: the Von Trapps make it in the end and the final scene is everything we could have hoped for, thanks to some nifty set and lighting design.



THE MUDDY VERDICT



This is a really, really good family show that will appeal to your youngest and oldest family members. Snap up the remaining tickets while you can. GOOD FOR:&nbsp;Families of all ages. It&#8217;s not a singalong show as such but there&#8217;s enough to keep young people entertained and it&#8217;s a lovely cross-generational trip.



NOT FOR:&nbsp;Anyone expecting a like-for-like replay of the film.



THE DAMAGE:&nbsp;From £25.75 but there are family deals available.



<a href="https://www.operanorth.co.uk/whats-on/the-sound-of-music/?utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=muddystilettos&amp;utm_campaign=soundofmusic&amp;utm_content=link" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Sound of Music</a> is on at Leeds Grand until 1 August.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Review: The Sound of Music, Leeds Grand Theatre

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