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8 December 2011
SOUTH PACIFIC OXFORD
"A tale of passion, war and true love! "
A Review written by: Nicholas Newman There is nothing like a good musical to brighten up a cold and damp Oxford December evening, which is what you get from attending South Pacific at Oxford’s New Theatre. Certainly, this Lincoln Centre production of South Pacific set on the island of Guadalcanal, put a smile on the face and a spring in the step of the audience, as they left (7 December 2011) at the end of this exciting performance. It was perhaps a bit ironic that as we enjoyed this great musical, whilst in Hawaii, people were commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. This production is packed full of well-known tunes that kept the audience stomping their feet, clapping their hands and singing along to the lyrics, such as “There is Nothin’ Like a Dame”, “Younger than Springtime”, “Some Enchanted Evening” and “ I am going to wash that man right out of my hair." This performance was smoothly executed, and the singing was excellent. However, it is the sympathetic characterisation, which enables one to be fully engaged in the trials and tribulations of the main protagonists set against the background of the war in the Pacific! Even the set design and lighting is effective. I especially liked how, in the background, the island of Bali Hi became visible at times when the performers appeared to be coming close to achieving their dreams. Welsh baritone Jason Howard shines through as the romantic lead and heart throb French plantation owner Emile De Becque. In fact, many of the women in the audience were in love with him from the moment he walked onto the stage. As for Samantha Womack who plays the navy nurse Nellie Forbash, her singing and acting make it clear that she is destined for great things in the future. As for the plot, it is Romeo and Juliet set at the time of the Pacific War. However, in South Pacific, a French planter (playing the Romeo role) falls in love with a naïve nurse (playing the Juliet role) from ‘Little Rock’. In addition, the other romantic relationship is between Airman Lieutenant Joe Cable (played by opera and musical singer Australian born Daniel Koek) who falls in love with a local native girl Liat (played by Elizabeth Chong) as he seeks his bit of paradise. Unfortunately, the racial prejudices of the old American South follow the Americans to this little bit of Paradise or Bali Hi! All these hang-ups place obstacles in the path to true love, which the lovers have to overcome as the Pacific war rages, in the distance. Other performers who deserve to be praised for their performances were former East Enders bad boy Alex Ferris, who plays comic relief Sergeant Luther Billis, he was simply excellent. Moreover, it was not surprising that Hawaiian actress Loretta Ables Sayre, who played the Tokineses peddler Bloody Mary and mother of Liat, received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress and a Theatre World Award for her Broadway appearance. Anyway, I suggest South Pacific is a "must-see" show during the Christmas and New Year festivities in Oxford. http://www.atgtickets.com/venue/New-Theatre-Oxford/245/ | ||
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