I have to admit that I had always put 'South Pacific' as a musical in the same box as 'Calamity Jane' (one of my least favourite musicals) - totally unjustified as I have never seen the production before.
In so many ways this production was a far cry from what I had been expecting, but in a good way.
The first break from the 'traditional' image of the musical was Ian's staging - or rather the lack of it. The whole production was set on a beach (painted stage) with hessian sacks lying around, marshmallow clouds floating by overhead in a tropical blue sky and the sound of the waves in the distance. I think I could be forgiven for thinking that this could have been doubled as the staging for a new musical based on the cult TV series 'Lost'!
The star of the show was none other than Sandra Pickett who played Bloody Mary. The atmosphere was set so perfectly by the sound effects and staging that I could just picture myself on a beach in Bali, trying to ignore the hawkers parading the beach with their wares almost chanting 'you like?' at every tourist who made the mistake of giving eye-contact. Sandra kept the pace of the musical going and was a delight to watch, particularly the moments when she was pimping out her daughter Liat! What a wonderful mother!
I also have to give a special mention to Marsh and Jason - definitely leading men potential, and I hope they have gained the confidence to continue trying different roles.
Alan Bailey was his usual professional self and I have to admit I always think his involvement with a production gives it an edge of quality. Bravo!
Gillian Hughes choreography was fun and forward thinking - and I particularly enjoyed 'Nothing Like a Dame' which had a touch of Miss Saigon about it - you could really sense the desperation of the men to get laid!
I had been expecting more in the way of plot from the musical. The script missed some great opportunities for emotion - such as Lt. Cable dying out of sight out of mind and the incident just being referred back to via the radio. I was waiting for big dramatic moments - such as Cable being shot on stage, and a dramatic or emotional death - but I guess Rogers and Hammerstein saved that for The King and I!
If I had known the show, or seen it before I would have gone expecting what it is - a fly on the wall view on life on the island over a period of around a month where unfortunately the fly isn't in the right place at the right time. I liked the premise, but felt on the whole the script failed in exactly the areas where Miss Saigon succeeds.
I have to give credit to the cast and production team for producing a slick, professional show to be proud of, and credit to the committee for allowing the production team to add the contemporary twists in staging that made this production such a success.
Everything the company had power over was executed very well, and I left having enjoyed the performance and wishing Rogers and Hammerstein had given the company a better script to work with.
