The Sound of Music - Connie Fisher loses her Captain

An official release has confirmed the rumours that after just two preview performances, Simon Shepherd has stood down from the role of Captain Georg Von Trapp in the much anticipated The Sound of Music. Officially it was a mutual decision.

Initial reviews, including this forum’s own, raised the question of Simon Shepherd’s suitability for the part and also the direction which had the Captain as a much less authoritarian figure than that portrayed by Christopher Plummer in the beloved screen version.

The press release reads:
“Following the first two previews of “THE SOUND OF MUSIC” at the London Palladium on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 November, Simon Shepherd, director Jeremy Sams and producers Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian agreed that his performance as ‘Captain Von Trapp’ was not working within the production and therefore he has withdrawn from the show."

"The producers are delighted to have secured the services of Alexander Hanson who will take over the role and will start performances as ‘Captain Von Trapp’ as soon as possible later this week.”

Alexander Hanson’s stage and screen credentials are then stated, including his experience in other West End musicals including “Roles in “Sunset Boulevard”, “Aspects of Love” and “We Will Rock You”.

The release concludes that until he is ready to undertake the role, “’Captain Von Trapp’ will be played by understudy Christopher Dickins” and that “‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’, which stars Lesley Garrett as ‘Mother Abbess’ and Connie Fisher as ‘Maria’, will open on schedule on Wednesday 15 November”.

Interesting to see that Lesley Garrett is now given prominence over Connie Fisher, who won the lead role after the keenly contested and followed popular BBC1 “How do you Solve a Problem Like Maria” show.

Let’s hope this latest setback does nothing to diminish Connie Fisher’s debut in the West End for the role she appears eminently suitable for.

We wish her every success.

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