Maria and the 20 von Trapps

The Maria problem might have been solved, but why do there appear to be so many young von Trapps?

The cast for Andrew Lloyd Webber's £3 million revival of wartime musical The Sound Of Music was unveiled today, and 20 children lined up alongside the show's stars Connie Fisher and Simon Shepherd.

The production needs the 20 children, who range from seven to 14, to play the seven von Trapp siblings because licensing laws stipulate their parts must be shared. The exception is Sophie Bould, 26, who plays the eldest daughter Liesel.

Fisher, 23, a former call centre worker from Pembrokeshire, landed the role of Maria by winning Lord Lloyd-Webber's BBC 1 reality show, How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?

Fisher brushed aside criticism of how she landed the role in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, which opens at the London Palladium next month. She said: "Of course everyone is going to be looking at how I do but the show itself will run by itself and for years and years because it's The Sound Of Music. I'm just lucky enough to play the leading role.

"It beats working in telesales. It seems like a dream."

She didn't deny claims that her agent had requested a pay rise for her from £1,500 a week to £6,000 during her six-month contract: "If she did I'm glad that I've got that agent because she's obviously doing a good job if she's asking for more money."

The cast

Liesl:
Sophie Bould, 26, from Shropshire
Friedrich:
John McCrea, 14, from Farnham, Surrey
Greg West, 12, from Harwich, Essex
Joe Cooper, 13, from Orpington, Kent
Louisa:
Christine Tucker, 13, from Surbiton, Surrey
Poppy Friar, 11, from Southwark, south London
Georgia Russell, 12, from Ruislip, west London
Kurt:
Jack Montgomery, 14, from Worcestershire
Piers Stubbs, 12, from Marylebone, central London
Michael Parsons, 12, from Marylebone, central London
Brigitta:
Grace Vance, 12, from St Albans, Hertfordshire
Caroline Riley, 12, from Sidcup, Kent
Olivia Gould, 12, from Tonbridge, Kent
Marta:
Yasmin Garrad, 10, from Victoria, central London
Molly May Keston, eight, from Chiswick, west London
Emily Lane, seven, from Denham, Buckinghamshire
Gretl:
Dora Gee, six, from north-west London
Lauren Downing, seven, from Sutton, Surrey
Alicia Gould, seven, from Tonbridge, Kent
Adrianna Bertola, seven, from Leigh on Sea, Essex