Enchanting Revival of ‘South Pacific’ at Vivien Beaumont Theatre
by Sam Juliano
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific is widely considered one of the greatest works of musical theatre ever produced, yet until 2008, a Broadway revival never materialized. When the work finally received its well-deserved encore decades later at the Vivien Beaumont Theatre in Lincoln Center, it won rapturous praise from critics and audiences alike and captured several Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival. In 1949, the original show with Mary Martin and opera star Ezio Pinza in the leads, won the Best Musical prize and a record-setting number of acting awards that has stood to this day, and ran for nearly 2,000 performances over five years. The show is one of the five R & H masterpieces with Oklahoma!, The King and I, Carousel and The Sound of Music, yet a strong case could be made that it boasts what may well be the most beautiful of all the celebrated duo’s scores, tinged as it is with melancholic romanticism and idyllic bliss, even if its racial underpinnings have dated.
Based on James A. Michener’s series of stories, Tales of the South Pacific, the musical has always been considered well ahead of its time, because of its candid consideration of prejudice. A young American nurse, Nellie Forbush falls for the older French planter Emile De Becque, but must confront her own bias when she learns that he fathered two interracial children, while the Princeton-educated Lt. Joseph Cable likewise is enchanted by Liat, a Tonkinese girl, but knows his own ingrained prejudice will prevent him from marrying her. The new production’s director, the visionary Bartlett Sher, who guided two acclaimed Metropolitan Opera productions of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville and Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann, has added some interesting context about race that was removed from the original production that sheds further light on Nellie and Cable’s struggles. Sher uses amazing restraint in collaboration with musical staging director Christopher Gattelli in accentuating the naturalism of the song delivery, which flows here fluidly and poetically in a perfect wedding with the show’s non-musical stretches.
The production’s principal setting is an expanse of sand with a single palm tree that suggests a marked melancholic solitude, which of course later undergoes the startling transformation of military occupation, when oil drums, crates, a crane and even part of a plane are rolled in. It’s a majestic panorama of ocean bliss, and later of military occupation, which is still comically tempered by the boisterous presentation of the sex-starved sailors’ “There Is Nothing Like a Dame”. The enticing and insubordinate light and shadows of the islands are gorgeously accented by set designer Michael Yeargan’s emplyment of slatted screens, which illustrate that interior space is always permeated by the tropical beauty of the outside expanse. Lighting Director Donald Holder effects the fine line here with a remarkable adoitness.
As the film’s baritone lead, Brazilian singer Paulo Szot, who recently brought vocal magnificence to the role of Kovalyov, the beleaguered petty bureaucrat who awakens one morning to find his nose missing, in Dimiri Shostakovich’s opera The Nose, recently staged at the Metropolitan Opera, makes for a splendid Emile De Becque, caressing the melodies of standards like Some Enchanted Evening and This Nearly Was Mine with deft lyrical felicity and a spirited robust delivery. As the navy nurse Nellie, Laura Osnes moves out from under the shadows of Mary Martin to provide her own unique spin on the young woman suddenly forced to confront and conquer her prejudice if she ever wants to find true love. She scintillates her way through “A Cockeyed Optimist,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair,” “A Wonderful Guy” and “Honey Bun.” Matthew Morrison possesses the youth and longing in his voice to perfectly navigate “Younger Than Springtime,” and gifted Hawaiian singer Loretta Ables delivers an unforgettable “Bali Ha’i” Broadway character actor Danny Burstein leads a rousing “There is Nothing Like a Dame” with admirable vigour. The 30 piece orchestra, which is among the largest on Broadway, gave exceptional freshness and vitality to this beloved score, musically expressing every ounce of texture from the score’s orchestrations, which lushly transports the listener to the tropical South Pacific, under the expert baton of conductor Ted Sperling.
Sher’s astonishing success with this production goes way further than script additions and the ability to keep the various artistic elements in synch. When Nellie sings “A Wonderful Guy,” the song isn’t just a celebration of her love for de Becque; one actually sees that Nellie is almost unable to believe it herself. In this sense, Sher takes moments that might have seemed silly or outdated for a modern audience and makes them completely believable. But above all, that long venerated Rodgers and Hammerstein score, one of the real treasures of the musical theatre, will have you again singing with this ravishing tunes over and over days and weeks after you leave the theatre. There can be no greater barometer of success.
Note: I attended the Wednesday evening, May 5th performance of ‘South Pacific’ at the Vivien Beaumont Theatre in Lincoln center with Lucille, Broadway Bob, and Bob’s mother Stephania. We stopped at a sandwich shop across Broadway near the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and enjoyed paninis and fruit juices. The show was praised by all.
A wonderful review, Sam. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this musical on stage, though I’ve seen the movie many times – this sounds like a great production. I’ve got all the songs on my brain now just from reading your review!
Judy thanks so much, though it appears I made a few errors here! Ugh! I know this kind of thing is right up your alley with your exquisite taste, and I know there’s no beating the singing in the film version, whatever other narrative and visual flaws it may have. But on balance it’s a joy, and I’d love to watch it again later tonight if I can free up some time. I know these songs, once heard can never be forgotten, and I’ve been caught a few times by members of my family singing some out loud in the computer room to the cast CD! Ha!
Thanks as always for the support and insights!
Enjoyed the photos sent, and to see this in person surely, sounds like it was most enjoyable.
I still remember seeing many plays – Equus, Man And Superman among them that still remain clear to this day.
It’s been too many years, but am always happy to read your reviews and feeling about what you see.
Cheers!
And I thank you for that my very good friend! yes, theatrical experiences are very special for all sorts of reasons, and they are never forgotten as is the case with the gems you note there. I am planning to take my 80 year-old father, his lady friend and my oldest daughter to see it again for Father’s Day. You can never get enough of this kind of theatrical and musical bliss.
I keep singing “Some Enchanted Evening!”
Excellent job (as always), but Laura Osnes played ‘Nellie’ in the performance we saw. Kelli O’Hara left the show over a year ago to have a baby. The rest of the original cast remains intact except for ‘Lt. Joe Cable’, now portrayed by a weak and unappealing Andrew Samonsky.
Aye, Bob, this was one of those conscious/unconscious mistakes, as I was actually making a point of reference, even with th playbill in front of me. I will make the correction now.
Thanks for the kind words.
Paulo Szot is Brazilian not Argentian.
Absolutely Tytus, I am going senile and will make the correction.
A beautiful review Sam.
I am not sure how long this one is planned to run at this theatre, but I will do my darndest to secure tickets.
Thanks very much David! I believe it will run until mid-July, though with packed houses every night, I wouldn’t rule out an extension! I hope you do follow through; I’m sure you won’t be disappointed!
With so much sub-par work being done on Broadway these days, I can see why you’d be excited about a renaissance like this. It almost does seem unbelievable that it would take so long for this great work to get a proper revival. Once again you’ve written with insight, expertise and a true love for the medium. (even if you did make a few gaffes there buddy!)
I like the term ‘renaissance’ Frank! It’s most appropriate!
Serves me right for not examining the playbill more closely! Ha!
Thanks as always for the glowing support and kind words.
Apainstakingly detailed and GLORIOUS review for a GLORIOUS revival (I owe Sam a quarter for using his patented hyperbole-LOL)!!!!! I’ve often wondered if SOUTH PACIFIC really should be considered an opera (as Bernstein’s WEST SIDE STORY boils down to)? This is the kind of score that can be heard a million times and never grow tired and, Sam, looks like the group was treated to a real winner here. Almost unanimous praise has been heaped upon this production and this SPECTACULAR essay really brings out all the STUPENDOUS and RAVISHING details of this GLORIOUS show (that’s another $.75 cents down the drain! Damn!). I said it before and I’ll say it again, Schmulee is on fire when his subject is music and the stage… SUPERLATIVE and TREMENDOUSLY STAGGERING review (Shit, I should just sign my pay check over to Lucille, she does Sam’s accounting!)!
You are a card Dennis! Ha! But this one made me smile. No, SOUTH PACIFIC is firmly entrenched within the heading of musical theatre. Opera moves in different territory, and not necessarily in a “superior” one.
“Some Enchanted Evening” is one of those songs that is timeless. I would think that hearing it is in itself worth the price of admission. But I know there is so much more, and stage version is the way to go, as the film is flawed. Exceptional review that has me convinced.
Fred: I haven’t stopped singing SOME ENCHANTED EVENING since Wednesday night. Lucille is tiring of it!
Lovely, descriptive review. You’re in the wrong business Sam.
I wonder if they are planning a revival of Oklahoma now?
If I might answer this Maria, they actually revived Oklahoma several years ago in New York City. I’m not sure though if it received the kind of reviews that greeted South Pacific.
Thanks Maria, but I am content where I am at this stage, though it’s always nice to hear kind words.
And yes Peter is quite right. OKLAHOMA ran five or six years ago, to a more muted critical reaction.
Hi! Sam Juliano,
Have South Pacific ever been filmed? I have to second the previous commenters’ comments…what a very descriptive, well- written review of Rogers and Hammerstein’s stage play South Pacific.
By the way, that is a very nice photograph of you and your wife,
Mrs.Lucille Juliano.
Thanks, for sharing!
DeeDee 😉
Aye Dee Dee. SOUTH PACIFIC was released in 1958 to a mixed critical concensus. But musical lovers are generally fond of the film for the excellent singing of its main players, and the beautiful (if color filtered) cinematography of the great cinematographer Leon Shamroy. I do have the DVD here, and will be sure to…..ah, well, you know what I mean.
Thanks so much for the compliments on the photo!
I would have to stand with those theatre critics who consider this one of the musical ‘treasures’. Among Rogers and Hammerstein’s modest output I’d say only the score of ‘The King and I’ is on the same level, even while as a film ‘The Sound of Music’ is probably the best based on their work. But we know many loved to beat on ‘Music’ every chance they get.
The problem with the film version (which you alluded to in your review without explanation Sam) is the over saturation of those inernal color filters. They don’t exactly ruin the film, but they compromise it. Brazzi is very good, but the dubbing is awkward. But Mitzi is wonderful.
As to your review, it’s another one to stand with your finest, and Sue and I really want to obtain tickets. Our neighbors saw it and really thought the staging was fantastic.
Tremendous comment here Peter, and I really want to thank you for it. You nailed the issues that are still prevalent with the film version, though honesty I’ve gotten beyond that.
…………..a splendid theatre review of a timeless show. Love that photo, guy!………….