Theatre and Dance Reviews

"South Pacific" is rammed full of those songs that I remember wafting up the stairs from my Mum's radio when I was a boy. If I were to write my Dennis Potter style play it would feature songs from the shows.

Dave Willetts as Emile de Becque

It's a real joy for me to discover which songs are in which shows after a few years abstinence from musical theatre. This one has all the ingredients for success: Rogers and Hammerstein's soaring score and the return to Milton Keynes of Dave Willetts, "Mister Musical Theatre" himself.

We last saw him in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", but I felt that he part of Emile De Becque is far more suited to his age and his rich voice perfectly suits the role.

Helena Blackman excels as love interest Nellie Forbush but I felt there was little chemistry between the two so that their love for each other was totally inexplicable. I know I shouldn't criticise the plots of musicals but Nellie's immediate acceptance of Emile's two children, who he has kept a secret, is again rather unconvincing.

Helena Blackman as Nellie Forbush

Strong

There are some good performances in this production. Both female and male choruses are strong although I felt that the men over did the acrobatics in "There is Nothing Like a Dame" - performing flic-flacs because they could! A female colleague enjoyed it though is so it’s a matter of personal taste.

Filipino actress Sheila Francisco is superb as Bloody Mary in a role she played at Royal National Theatre. Her renditions of "Happy Talk" and "Bali Hai " are spot on and probably steal the show. Christopher Howell is excellent as wheeler-dealer Seabee Luther Billis and wouldn't be out of place in a nautical version of "Bilko".

The sound balance in this production is also spot on and I think everything would be perfectly audible even in the upper tiers. The band performed from the pit and the microphones were set at just the right level.

South Pacific

Satisfying

The set is clever but the show was hoist by its own petard as the truck which carried the commander's office stuck and made a curious grinding noise which caused some momentary "corpsing " at an important narrative interlude. The office later received its own ovation when it appeared without incident!

I was intrigued by one of the opening tableaux which appeared to show prejudicial treatment for injured black seamen compared with their white counterparts. This seems to me to have no significance to the rest of the show.

Overall though this is a satisfying treatment of an old faithful. Wonderful songs are delivered well and all vocalists are equal to the task. Deservedly "South Pacific" played to a full house and is the kind of staple theatre diet that nourishes the more esoteric pieces that we are also able to enjoy.