Elliot Gooch (Rolf) and Sally Cheng (Liesel Von Trapp) above, to star in the Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s The Sound of Music
Ahead of The Sound of Music, which opens on the 15th of November at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, we sat down with Sally Cheng and Elliot Gooch to discuss their roles as Liesl von Trapp and Rolf.
The Sound of Music runs at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre from 15 November to 22 December 2024
Beneath The Sound of Music’s surface, behind the goat herds, the mountains and singing nuns, the homemade dresses and the shadow of war in Europe, there’s a story of hope, triumph and family while facing your fears. And much of it can be found in the other romance of the tale, within Liesl and Rolf, the eldest Von Trapp child and a young delivery boy drawn in by the Nazi party.
Brought to life by the magnetic personalities and warming friendship so evidently displayed in a chat with performers Sally Cheng (Twelfth Night, The Play That Goes Wrong, The Wizard of Oz) and Elliot Gooch (Sister Act, Dorian: The Musical, The Interview), the pair’s understanding and care for the importance of character is evident from the outset, “I think, particularly with Rolf and Liesl, we’re remembering it’s their first love” says Sally. The pair join a cast of Kirsty Findlay, Ali Watts, Christian Edwards, and many others (including a brilliant youth company, as Sally and Elliot joyfully tell us) in Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s final stage show for the season and current Artistic Director Elizabeth Newman’s last production at the helm. Running until the 22nd of December, we sat down with Sally and Elliot and chatted about the show, their characters, getting into musical theatre, and Elizabeth’s impact on the production – and the theatre itself.
For fans of the Roger & Hammerstein musical and the adapted film, starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, based on the 1949 memoir from Maria Augusta Trapp, this fictional retelling shares her and the von Trapp’s escape to Switzerland in the lead-up to WWII. The same elements cementing it as an annual festive-time classic will remain, Sally adding, “It’s one of these shows that you watch that’s just lovely and cosy and Christmassy; it’s great.” In discussing what it is about The Sound of Music, which brings such joy to audiences around the festive period, Sally explains why the show works at this time of year, “I think it’s the heart. The show has a lot of heart. It’s essentially about family, and it’s about hope. I think that’s where the core of the show is, that we have to hope, even though things look pretty bad, is we need to retain this sense of strength and face these things together – and if we do that with a sense of love for one another, the world will be a better place.”
All of these aspects, which continue to speak to audiences, are intentional in Newman’s production: “It’s great to use the Elizabeth Newman technique of really getting into the text, exploring it properly, and finding out about its relationships and nuances. There’s a whole different dimension, where a lot of us saw it as a Sunday afternoon musical, it’s brilliant to get a different take: there is still joy, but it’s a brilliant piece of writing (from Newman).” And how no matter how much time may pass, timeless pieces of art remain that way due to their interpretations, with Newman working with the cast to make this The Sound of Music for contemporary audiences with a purpose – Sally concluding, “I think our production is true to the time period, but there has to be an element of the characters being real and relatable to a modern audience because quite a lot of it has real scary parallels.”
The story of a family fleeing the oncoming grip of fascism and of the far-right’s influence on younger men are some of the critical components which keep the story relatable for audiences. With the US election winding down and President-Elect Donald Trump set to return to the White House, the remarks we share (the day before the election) on how Rolf’s actions and conflictions feel all the more harrowingly prevailing, Elliot discusses how Rolf is a fascinating role, “I think it’s a great example of how young people can be so manipulated by politics and any person who is in a position of power”. Potent words, before going on to discuss how the production has encouraged more than a refinement of craft but encouraged the cast to look within themselves, “We’re learning every day, as people. Yes, as actors, but so much as people: about ourselves, about each other – because of how wonderful she is (Elizabeth), and the audience will share in that”, enabling Elliot to look into Rolf’s inward battle of allure to the Nazi party, or his moral duties to Austria, and to Liesl. “If you (the character) do something which is a bit wrong or bad, there’s a reason for it. It feels natural. It doesn’t completely define them – there’s still good parts to them as they try to fight through it.”
The cast of Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s The Sound of Music
But far more than a cautionary tale, the explosive joy and uplifting tones of The Sound of Music continue to be captured in both the final production and the experiences Sally and Elliot had with working with the cast and creatives, the pair discussing how “It’s a very well-cast show, people who can work together well and get on. It’s great”. At the same time, Elliot adds that their and Sally’s working together “feels natural, we never feel we have to separate or form a relationship on stage that doesn’t feel natural – we’re very responsive to one another, the other one is willing to try anything out”. On Newman’s remarkable ability to read beyond the peripherals of the text, Sally talks about how the audience has a familiarity with Rolf and Liesel’s relationship as a first love, a first kiss, but how there’s more of a depth to the role than some audiences initially spot, “But I think Liesel, Liesel has a bit more grit than we think first notice… I think she’s underestimated… she’s got more experience. She’s grown up without a mother; she’s looked after the children, and her father hasn’t been that present.”
Before closing our discussion, Elliot was able to offer some insight into the audition process and guide readers. Potential performers who are starting their journey into the professional world, of their experiences auditioning for The Sound of Music, and how to make it your own, “make sure you make bold choices that are truthful but are unique and authentic to you, you do not have to stick to the traditional idea of the show, directors want something new and authentic to you – and also if you’re ever directed in the audition, make sure you can follow it… It doesn’t have to be the right choice or a perfect performance, but they want to know you can adapt.” Elliot also tantalises us with the idea of a bold production – one which doesn’t rest heavily on the musical’s lineage and makes sure it has its own ‘Pitlochry’ stamp. Though that’s not to say there won’t be some stellar live musical performances, Sally reminds us about Elizabeth’s penchant for an Actor-Muso style of performance, where the cast also plays the role of an on-stage band, “there’s an element that when you’re working in a fully Actor-Muso production, with a fully Actor-Muso cast, that you get something very quickly in the first week – an intuitiveness that you then take on stage… there’s an element of foundation of trust.”
With an engaging 2025 season ahead for the venue and some exciting times ahead for our pair, which can’t be discussed too openly (yet), the excitement surrounding The Sound of Music charges the hills of the surrounding Scottish landscape with a pulsating energy; one clean and jubilant, primed with hope. Elliot sums up, beautifully, and better than most, the value of Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Elizabeth’s legacy’s impact on the performing arts in Scotland: “The community is so lucky to have such an exciting, professional, and groundbreaking theatre company on the doorstep. And even if you think you know The Sound of Music, and even if it’s your favourite musical, come and experience something special, heart-warming, and thought-provoking in these times”.
You don’t have to ‘Climb Every Mountain’ to make it to the theatre, but every audience member who makes it to see The Sound Of Music is in for a bold and heart-warming show. It’s never easy to say goodbye, but rather than saying ‘So long, farewell. Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu’, let us simply say ‘thank you, as Elizabeth Newman departs the theatre with a remarkably apt production – one which encapsulates their sense of kindness, love of music, and ability to draw the best out of performers, and people.
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