South Pacific, 9 Jan 1994

 

Music by Richard Rogers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan

At State Theatre Melbourne, 9 Jan 1994

Reviewer: Kate Herbert

This review was published in Melbourne Times after Jan 9, 1994.

 

We are definitely in the midst of The Revival of the Great Musical. 42nd Street has been, West Side Story is coming and the exuberant production of South Pacific, directed by Christopher Henshaw, has just opened at the State Theatre.

 

The play has a strong narrative which manages to incorporate two multi-cultural love stories, the Second World War, black-marketeering and several wacky US Marines. The gender politics of the play are, of course, outmoded. Women are represented by characters like the bimbo nurse Nellie (played energetically by Paige o’Hara) and her nursing comrades in bimbosity, or by the exotic and silent island-girl, Liat.

 

The politics of the show redeem themselves with a talented Phillip Gould singing You've got to be Taught. The lyrics succinctly describe the careful training from an early age which produces a racist. "You have to be carefully taught" to despise others for their eyes, colour and race - a chastening thought.

 

The sexiest, most interesting and entertaining woman is Liat's wicked and sassy mother, Bloody Mary played superbly by Roz Ryan. Mary is a Pacific Mother Courage who wheels and deals to ensure her daughter's future.

 

The unremittingly memorable songs keep marching on. Love songs like Some Enchanted Evening by Andre Jobin as the French plantationist, Younger than Springtime, and Bali Ha’i is sung hauntingly by Ryan.

 

The big number, Honeybun, had spectacular costuming and design and antics by the irrepressible Paul Blackwell as the enterprising low-life navy clown, Louther Billis.

 

There is Nothing Like A Dame as a highlight. It was sexism taken to a high art: leering and gyrating boys with superb bare chests and lyrics which would turn a feminist's hair blonde. Ah! The forties!

 

This production does not emphasise dance, but it is big on spectacle. The design and lighting are exceptional. Surprisingly, it avoids the tropical island paradise flavour one expects, and chooses to counterpoint army images against huge and austere Polynesian totems and muted cane constructions. The whole works against the lightness of tone in the opening scenes and heightens the drama of the devastation of war and loss of life.

 

The most memorable image was the extraordinary on-stage take-off of a real aeroplane. This sent the audience into paroxysm of childish glee.  Musicals are always thin on plot, but it was a pleasant surprise that South Pacific was topical and moving as well as a hoot.

By Kate Herbert