Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Corny as Kansas in August? NOT.


So last night I showed up at South Pacific’s opening at the Keller with interest and trepidation. It’s kind of where I came in, as musicals go — with the movie version, anyway, I’m not that old. I was too little to appreciate the story at the time, which I remember as being long and slow. But I grew up hearing the Broadway cast album and knew all the songs by heart, even if I couldn’t quite puzzle out the story. What was going on over on Bali Ha’i, I asked? My parent claimed they didn’t know either.

Come to find out: it’s a terrific story. That’s right, South Pacific actually works as theater, which is amazingly rare with musicals. Debuting in the middle of Rogers and Hammerstein’s incredibly fecund collaboration, it must have been bracing stuff in 1949; it starts out as a love story, and beguiles you into assuming things will develop along certain lines. But just about when you’ve gotten totally comfortable, it has a reversal just before the close of Act I that drew audible gasps throughout the audience last night — from a Portland audience of 2010.

The clip I have here is from the 2008 Tony Awards, with the original Lincoln Center cast, but the touring company I saw last night was top-notch, especially Carmen Cusack as Nellie Forbush, the “high as the Fourth of July” heroine with feet of clay. The voices, the dancing, the production values — particularly Michael Yeargan’s clever set, with its bamboo blinds that morph into sun-dappled water and even manage to suggest time passing — are all superb. (The photo above, by Peter Coombs, is from the tour I saw last night.)



This is the first offering in Broadway Across America’s new season, which has some genuinely thrilling shows in store, most notably In the Heights. But South Pacific, as a perfect extension of Bart Sher’s celebrated production, is the absolute must-see. And you only have through this Sunday, August 8, to catch it, so hurry up. This is one show where it's worth popping for the expensive seats.

4 comments:

Marlene said...

I'd have to say that "South Pacific" remains my all-time favorite musical, so I'm so glad not to be missing this. Glad to hear that you think that the acclaim for this revival is merited. I've got a ticket for the last show Sunday night - can't wait!

Mead said...

It's an excellent production of a musical I never before realized was so amazing. It really testifies to the power of music and how it can be an exponential amplification of human feeling. "I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy" sounds like falling in love; when someone sings "Some Enchanting Evening" to you, you fall under his spell!

Marlene said...

And "Younger than Springtime" just gives me chills! :-)

Stephen said...

It was my first live play. My parents took at 5 years old to the touring company with Janet Blair. The sight of the men with their shirts off made quite the life long impression. I think the libretto is 1st rate... & when you think of when it was 1st produced...

I think THIS NEARLY WAS MINE is one of the most beautiful theatre songs of all time.