CHILD actor Adam Hargreaves is still willing to Climb Every Mountain in his quest for stardom as he wows audiences in The Sound of Music at the London Palladium.

Ten-year-old Adam began his prolific stage career just three years ago with a role in An Inspector Calls at the Oxford Playhouse.

The Wantage schoolboy’s next role was as a singing munchkin in the Wizard of Oz at the New Theatre. And from the Emerald City he launched himself – quite literally – on to the shoulders of actor Shane Richie, playing Tiny Tim in Scrooge at the same theatre.

But it is his latest role as Kurt, one of the Von Trapp children in The Sound of Music, which has become one of his Favourite Things.

He said: “I auditioned for the show last April, but after five rounds of auditions they decided that I was the wrong height. I tried again in the summer, and had another four rounds of auditions before I was cast as Kurt.

“We rehearsed for five weeks, which was really hard work.

“I had to be in London five days a week and fit 15 hours of school around rehearsals. We perform for three days then have six days off as there are three teams of children, so that has been much easier.”

He added: “Kurt is a great part to play. He is very sensitive and is the only one who likes the character of Maria to start with, and he stands up for her against the other children.

“He is also quite cheeky.

“None of the lines are really difficult, but the dances are tightly choreographed so can easily go very wrong. I have to do a forward roll along the sofa during Do-Re-Mi but I fell off the sofa so many times that they cut it from the show for a couple of weeks!”

Adam attends Chandlings Manor School, near Kennington, and caught the acting bug after joining Stagecoach in Abingdon.

Adam’s dad Bill is 48 and a sergeant in Thames Valley Police, and mum Alison, 38, runs Guides for Brides and Fancy That! Wedding Cakes.

dwaite@oxfordmail.co.uk