Trouble-plagued Sound of Music wins rave reviews

LONDON, Nov 16 (Reuters) Andrew Lloyd Webber climbed every theatrical mountain to bring ''The Sound of Music'' to the London stage but all ended well today when critics hailed the trouble-plagued show as a triumph.

The production had looked jinxed from the start with backstage dramas giving the show the worst possible publicity.

But critics lavished the four million pound show with praise.

After failing to secure Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson for the role of novice nun Maria, Lloyd Webber took the high-risk route of picking his leading lady in a reality TV contest.

In a talent show entitled ''How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?'', Welsh call centre worker Connie Fisher fought off 6,000 hopefuls to land a six-month contract.

Fisher had auditioned in vain for several parts after graduating from theatre school and said Julie Andrews, who played Maria in the Oscar-garlanded 1965 film, was her heroine.

''I reckon she runs Julie Andrews to a photo-finish,'' Daily Mail critic Quentin Letts wrote today.

After winning a standing ovation, Fisher told Reuters at the after-show party: ''The noise they made tonight was just wonderful.

At least they didn't throw tomatoes at me.'' Lloyd Webber called her ''the most exciting actress that has come out of British musical theatre for many a long year.'' LEADING MAN The composer of ''Cats'' and ''Phantom of the Opera'' said the much maligned reality TV contest ''has sent musical theatre receipts right across the board 10 per cent up across London''.

The show's first defection came in rehearsals when Emma Williams, signed to help share the onerous lead role, opted out, leaving Fisher facing eight performances a week.

But most dramatic of all, the show lost its leading man just nine days before opening night.

After just two previews, the producers decided soap opera star Simon Shepherd was ''not working'' in the role of Captain Von Trapp.

So at the last moment in stepped Alexander Hanson, a veteran of Lloyd Webber musicals, who had just three days to prepare for the biggest challenge of his career.

''He was my original first choice so it was very good news,'' Lloyd Webber said.

After a nerve-wracking first night, Hanson told Reuters: ''It's been a rollercoaster and I just tried to remember the lines and the moves.'' All the backstage dramas have not hit the box office -- the show has already taken 12.5 million pounds in advance bookings and today the cast basked in glowing reviews.

''Shed your cynicism: the problem of Maria is solved with charm,'' The Guardian said.

''There was certainly a mountain to climb but this production scaled the summit,'' said the Independent.

REUTERS AKJ RK1540