New York: 'South Pacific' at Lincoln Centre

A week ago tonight, Friday, I was watching 'South Pacific' in the Vivian Beaumont Theatre at Lincoln Centre, and what a joy it was. I've never seen it on stage and I've never managed to see the film all the way through so it was a bit of an eye-opener to see how all those famous songs fitted together on stage. The Vivian Beaumont Theatre is a bit like the Olivier Theatre at the National Theatre, the audience seated in a big semi-circle around the stage except Vivian has a retracting stage that exposes the orchestra seated underneath - big cor to that when it first pulled back to expose the musicians.

It opened with two Polynesian urchins singing a song before running off to be replaced by our heroine and hero who've obviously just spent a day together with love leaking out of every pore and our heroine having to rush back to the USA navy base she works in as a nurse during World War II. Cut to the navy lads singing about their need for dames (I sniffed at this since some of them obviously wouldn't know what to do with a dame if one was plonked down in front of them!) and the lovely Bloody Mary trying to sell her native tat to the navy lads. We were off and running at high octane as the plot developed.

I loved it! It's an excellent production with a lush, full orchestra providing the tunes and great singers and actors up there on the stage. I surprised myself by deciding at half time that the oldest show we'd seen last week was actually the best. The plot worked, the songs were fabulous and the acting and singing were spot on. Laura Osnes was excellent as Ensign Nellie, David Pittsinger and his operatic voice worked wonders as Emile and Danny Burstein was great as the scheming Billis. I'd also throw big kudos at Loretta Ables Sayre for her Bloody Mary and the almost menacing 'Happy Talk' that I always associate with a happy Captain Sensible. I loved the ending when Nellie and Emile simply held hands underneath the breakfast table when he returns from duty to find her singing to his children at breakfast - I didn't blub, but I wasn't far off. Such a subtle and underplayed ending.

By Friday and 'South Pacific' I was very aware that the newest musical, 'Next To Normal', might have received great reviews but it didn't hold a candle to the oldest musical. 'South Pacific' is excellently scripted, it implies things without having to state them - we never see how Nellie and Emile meet, it's just natural for them to come on stage happy and laughing, pleased with each other's company - and that shows the quality of the writing. And the production was flawless. Needless to say, I bought the cast recording on the way out of the theatre and floated down Broadway (when I wasn't avoiding ice) on a cloud of Polynesian joy.

If I gave star ratings to theatre visits (which I might start doing) I'd rate my Broadway shows like this:

Next To Normal **
Hair *****
Fela! ***
A Little Night Music ****
South Pacific *****

It was a very enchanted evening and I'm very pleased I saw this production. Well done to everyone involved!