SOUTH PACIFIC IS AN ENCHANTING EVENING

Keala Settle as Bloody Mary and Ensemble. Photo by Peter Coombs

SOUTH PACIFIC. Music by Richard Rodgers; lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II; book by Mr. Hammerstein and Joshua Logan, adapted from “Tales of the South Pacific” by James A. Michener; directed by Bartlett Sher. Golden Gate Theatre. www.shnsf.com, through Ticketmaster by calling (415) 512-7770, at all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers September 18 – October 25, 2009

SOUTH PACIFIC IS AN ENCHANTING EVENING

The last professional road show of South Pacific playing San Francisco was as a vehicle for aging, over-the-hill singer Robert Goulet and it was a disaster. This time around, Best of Broadway has brought up an exciting new cast with great voices using the New York Lincoln Center version that swept the 2008 Tony Awards, winning seven honors including Best Musical Revival and Best Director for Bartlett Sher. While that stunning new production is still selling-out at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in an open-ended run, this National tour starting here in San Francisco received a standing ovation on opening night.

This Pulitzer Prize-winning 1949 musical based on James Michener's Pulitzer Prize winning book Tales of the South Pacific tells the story of four star-crossed lovers caught up in the war in the Pacific and emotionally torn due to ingrained racial prejudice. Woven into the romantic story line are the shenanigans of full-bodied native Bloody Mary (Keala Settle) and a group of Sea Bees led by Luther Billis (Mathew Saldivar). Carmen Cusak playing Nurse Ensign Nellie Forbush is a perky “Cockeyed Optimist” with a charming soprano voice that is a perfect match for the magnificent operatic baritone voice of handsome Rod Gilfry as plantation owner Emile de Becque. Their rendition of “Two Soliloquies” within the first scene sets the hesitant tone of their initial relationship that melts away when Gilfry sings “Some Enchanted Evening.”

The show is loaded with classic Rogers and Hammerstein gems: “Bloody Mary”, “There is Nothing Like a Dame”, Bali Ha’i”, “I’m Gonna Wash that Man Right out of my Hair”, “A Wonderful Guy”, “Happy Talk”, “Younger than Springtime”, “This Nearly Was Mine”, and heart tugging “You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught” that expresses the internal and external racism of that era. Anderson Davis as Lt. Joseph Cable who falls in love young native girl Liat (Sumie Maeda) creates a lump in your throat with his viscerally plaintive singing of the final song mentioned. Youngsters Christina Carrera and CJ Palma as Emile’s children are a joy to watch and hear with their duet of “Dites-Moi”. (On a personal note, Christina Carrera was is charming off stage as she is on stage when she gave me her autograph in front of the theatre!)

The 25-piece orchestra is superb as they play the music that has been restored to its original status. Although there are some technical glitches Michael Yeargan’s attractive sets and Donald Holder’s lighting add depth to the evening and the two hour and 50 minute running time fly by.

Kedar K. Adour, MD

Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com