This archive review records the 2016 touring production of The Sound of Music as I saw it at the Orchard Theatre, with the original cast and my reaction preserved.
Overview
The hills are alive with The Sound of Music! Having grown up with the film and Julie Andrews, I was excited to see the story performed live. The production follows Maria and the von Trapp family from their early relationship and musical life together through the political danger surrounding Austria before the Second World War.
Cast
Lucy O’Byrne, runner-up on BBC One’s The Voice in 2015, played Maria in the production I saw. Andrew Lancel played Captain von Trapp.
These names are retained as part of the 2016 production record rather than being replaced by later casts.
Creative Team
The musical features music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, with a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.
Music
The score includes Edelweiss, My Favourite Things, Do-Re-Mi, Climb Ev’ry Mountain, So Long, Farewell and, of course, The Sound of Music.
My Review
Seeing the story live after knowing it from the film made the songs and the changes in the von Trapp family feel especially warm and emotional. Lucy O’Byrne was a big reason I had been looking forward to the production, and I loved seeing her take on Maria.
The children were adorable and their singing was fantastic. I also loved the staging and the way the set changed throughout the production. The company worked naturally together, while the story’s political backdrop gave the second half real weight.
Overall, I found it a fantastic, heart-warming production and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Production Images
The original 2016 artwork and images are retained with this review as part of the Clarissa’s Corner theatre archive.
Dates / Tour
This review records the production as seen at the Orchard Theatre in 2016. The original post later mentioned further performances at Churchill Theatre Bromley; those dates are now historical and are retained as archive context rather than current booking information.
Related Clarissa’s Corner Theatre Archive
Rehearsal for Murder – Orchard Theatre 2016
Rocky Horror Show – Orchard Theatre 2016
Blood Brothers – Churchill Theatre 2016
Latest Update
August 2026: This page has been restored as a historical production record. Lucy O’Byrne and Andrew Lancel currently appear only once each in the Clarissa’s Corner theatre archive, so their 2016 credits are being retained for the performer database and future Stagey Spotlight / Where Are They Now? connections.
