My favourite things about the Parish Players’ productions include the cracking pace, the intimacy of audience and performers in tiny Tockington Parish Hall, and the complete commitment, discipline and enthusiasm of cast and crew.

All of these result in you leaving the evening with a feeling as good as gulping the pure Alpine air that could invigorate you to climb any mountain. No wonder the shows are early sell-outs.

But ‘The Sound of Music’ is a big challenge for a small hall and company.

For a start, how do you solve a problem like Maria?

Simple! Get Sarah Wiggins to kick Connie Fisher off the mountain with her glorious voice and kissable characterisation, never mind an ability to dance like a dream.

The audience were really captivated, and Julie Andrews would have applauded her diction!

Christopher Plummer is reputed to have found the role of Captain von Trapp rather difficult.

Not so Dan Phillips – so winning, credible and capable: the perfect partner.

And Mother Abbess (Louise Luft) might have been younger than the film, but consequently had touches of mischief and warmth, as well as a lovely fulsome voice. In fact, all the nuns provided some very good plainsong and part-singing in their impish mix of humour and dignity.

But God bless the children! On stage for the majority of the show, they provided energy, sweetness and some excellent singing and dancing.

No wonder Frau Schmidt (Judy Jones) was played with such warmth for her wards.

Even the most elegant Baroness Schraeder (Amy Sunderland) fell for their charms, and we, in turn, fell for hers – a super voice and playful partner for Max Detweiler

(David Proud), who provided just the right mix of well-timed clowning and kindness in his role.

As to the villains of the piece, the speed of movement, vibrant flags, carefully chosen sound effects (Mike Chappel) and costume all helped to create the menace which shadowed Europe and the production’s two romances.

Rolf (Marcus Burton) and Liesl (Talia Nicholls) portrayed young love most sensitively, and their beautiful young voices were a treat in ‘Sixteen going on seventeen’.

By the way, how did they manage to get a delivery bike on that tiny stage?

Answer: from the usual excellent stage management, and it’s needed with scene changes like these.

But all Andy Black’s scenery worked well; like the attractive filigree abbey scene which became a summerhouse or hiding place, and the abbey colonnade which became the mansion veranda and ballroom setting.

This was all enhanced by sensitive lighting (Richard Churchill) and the lovely Austrian feel of the costumes (Cath Chappel); especially the girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes.

So, thank you so much, Linda Evans for your expert direction of yet another box office hit. And thank you Chloe Allsopp-Jones and her most able quartet for all the glorious ‘sounds of music’.

I shall be dancing home, if clever choreographer Jill Harris will take me in hand!

By Barbie Davies

You can find out more about the Parish Players at facebook.com/OlvestonParishPlayers.