(Press ‘Disc 2’ on your remote. May 31, 2008 Pt. II will start to play, opening with an oozing psychedelic pop number from Dandelion Gum, the album that occupied my iPod while I waited. This is good sitting-in-line/people-watching music. 1. “They Live in the Meadow” – Black Moth Super Rainbow)
Emerging from the hubbub of the metro stop on 65th St, I found myself a little turned around in the increasingly cloudy afternoon sun. Apparently, Lincoln Center is undergoing renovations, making the place somewhat difficult to navigate for a new-comer. Yet, with a bit of effort I stumbled upon The Vivian Beaumont Theater and had myself a looksie. Perhaps the toughest challenge of the trip thus far lay ahead of me. The show we had picked to see that Saturday evening was none other than the still sold-out Broadway revival of SOUTH PACIFIC starring Kelli O’Hara as the ingénue, Nellie, and Paulo Szot as the baritone Frenchman, Emile de Becque. This Lincoln Center production is the first Broadway revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, almost sixty years after the opening of the original, and it has rightfully received rave reviews from every single one of the theater critic highbrows. Of course, all the acclaim, hype, and popularity meant it was, and still is, the hottest ticket on Broadway. Now a few hours from curtain, the fate of our night rested on my shoulders. As I pushed through the glass doors and into the entrance hall of the Beaumont, I was all too aware of how I had to somehow acquire tickets to a show that frankly was not selling anymore tickets (I know someone who has a ticket. She does. She has a 2. “Ticket to Ride” – The Beatles).Thanks once again to David, I had an ace up my theatergoing sleeve. No, not the student rush tickets. The irritable bearded man behind the box-office glass rudely and emphatically repeated to me that no discount tickets of any kind were being sold to anyone (“I don’t care what kind of research you’re doing. Blah blah blah.”). Of course, the be-suited gentleman was naturally just doing his job, having been asked the same questions all day from the perpetually longest line I’ve ever seen at a box-office window. And wow, whereas Thurgood had quite a diverse audience, the crowd at Lincoln Center was quite the opposite. Still, I had my ace. Actually, I had two aces, both of which were strategically employed that night thanks to the wise predictions of The Weather Channel (What is he talking about? 3. “Red Rain” – The White Stripes).
Allow me to clarify. David had let me in on another little secret about Broadway shows: the cancellation line. We hadn’t planned ahead, so using personal vending websites like Craigslist and Ebay for sold-out tickets were out of the question. And as I’ve mentioned before, one can neither rely on bummed tickets nor expect someone to actually be bumming tickets. Thus, David explained that the cancellation line would be the only way to get legitimate good seats that night. You see, if for some reason somebody with a ticket can’t make it to that evening’s performance, they forfeit their ticket to the box office, who sells it to the first person in the cancellation line. This was my first ace. My second ace was the rain that was supposed to come in full force that night (Ah, now The Weather Channel reference and subsequent song choice make sense). The logic behind trying for cancellation tickets that night was based on the assumption that the theatergoers would be more inclined to cancel their evening plans if it were storming. So, as I sat in line, plugged into my headphones, I was like a mute farmer in a draught – silently praying for rain. Actually, I should emphasize silently because the Chatty Cathies waiting with me were frequently interrupting my Black Moth Super Rainbow fest. Yeah, I’m Mr. Social over here. (This next track kind of speaks for itself. Plus, it’s long, and I waited awhile. 4. “Shut Up I Am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings” – Sunset Rubdown)
Being fourth in line, I only had to wait a couple of hours before the same bearded man walked out and demanded that I follow him. Mission accomplished, I had purchased two full priced tickets to see South Pacific. Excitement hit me for a number of reasons. For one, before seeing this particular show, my only other encounter with the musical was watching an old VHS version of the 1958 movie when I was ten or something. For another, there was so much hype around this production of South Pacific that I simply had to see what all the fuss was about. And finally, David and I had elected to write a review on this revival for Theater Journal. While one might infer that our academic interest in the musical would elicit a longer post, I can only say that this won’t be completely true. Obviously, the more ambitious and focused musings will be featured in our review, but I will do my best to include a well-rounded assessment of the show. (So, basically this post won’t be a complete waste of your time. 5. “Wasted Time” – Kings of Leon)South Pacific is a pristine production that effectively honors the traditional aspects of the original musical. Indeed, everything has been staged and designed to service the music and the narrative. There are no distracting directorial decisions that beg for uniqueness or novelty, instead everything is completely focused and magnificently refined, making for a true to Rodgers and Hammerstein show. The context of the performance is thus one that successfully adheres to the best of way telling the story with the intentions of it creators clearly in mind (A gorgeously ethereal song about everything fitting for a gorgeous show where everything fits. 6. “Everything in its Right Place” – Radiohead). Thankfully, Tony award winning director, Bartlett Sher, has an extensive knowledge concerning the show’s history, its strengths, and its otherworldly beauty. Accordingly, the production is serious in its execution and harmonious in its nature with all of its quaint and heavy elements working towards something fantastic.
Yes, this 2008 revival of South Pacific is most certainly aware of its roots. In fact, the very first thing the audience sees is the opening paragraph from James A. Michener’s Tales of the South Pacific, on which the musical is based. Projected onto the curtain, “I wish I could tell you about the South Pacific… But whenever I start to talk about the South Pacific, people intervene,” sets the stage for a historically conscious show (Here’s a wonderfully terrestrial track about words. 7. “Did You See the Words” – Animal Collective). Costumes and set never seem out of place with every thoughtful detail comfortably relevant to its time. Moreover, in conjunction with the lighting, the aesthetic of the Lincoln Center stage throughout the show is truly awesome. It’s no wonder that South Pacific won the Tonys for scenic, costume and lighting design. The island of Bali Ha’i backdrop recalls the mysterious water Jo Mielziner’s painting for the original Broadway show. The bamboo walls that let through lines of light prove to be a wonderful way of conveying the South Pacific, an innovative tool for organizing the space, and a creative touch for playing with light design. The map in the control room, the rotating truck stage, the showers, the impeccable transitions from scene to scene, and the minimalism behind Lt. Cable’s (Matt Morrison) and Liat’s (Li Jun Li) moment of love – all of the tech in the staging make for a fantastic and otherwordly theater experience. The best part is that these wonderful aspects of the production hardly overshadow the most important parts of the show – the music, characters, and story.
South Pacific definitely deserves the praise it has gotten. There are many reasons why it won the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critic’s Circle Award for best revival of a musical. I also understand that in the canon of the theater, South Pacific is considered to be one of the greats. However, my stance towards this work is one of distant appreciation. In other words, I can respect the show’s innovativeness in subject matter, its brilliance in writing, and its beauty of song and orchestration, but I don’t necessarily like it (Much respect to this band. 8. “Well Respected Man” – The Kinks). I acknowledge it as a superb musical, yet I wouldn’t choose to watch it over say My Fair Lady. I find that South Pacific recycles its songs and musical themes a bit too much. Yes, I’m aware of how each re-contextualization elicits new meaning, but hearing a song repeatedly can be tiresome. I don’t care if I walk away singing it, as is the goal for such a musical; a number like “Some Enchanted Evening” is so memorable that one doesn’t need to hear it five times. I am also not a fan of the political baggage the show carries. This is merely a preferential complaint without much supporting evidence. The racial commentary, while pioneering for its time, is distracting for me, as are the questions the show raises over war and nationalism. South Pacific’s efforts in social awareness are appreciated, and the musical does address these issues in nuanced ways, but musicals are not known for subtlety or delicacy. The message can be heavy handed. However, we live in an America of racially mixed families and communities. A black man running for president. Moreover, we are a nation at war. The relevance is undeniable.The reprisal of “Honey Bun” is the most politically effective number in South Pacific. The song also proves that the re-contextualization of a song can be starkly effective. When one of the sailors explains, “Look, we know who we’re fighting against. We just don’t know what we’re fighting for,” a sharp comparison is immediately drawn to our present day war overseas. (“But this place here is no friend of mine.” 9. “Soldier’s Grin” – Wolf Parade) The exploration of the soldier’s attitude becomes all the more powerful, when towards the end of the show, instead of a philosophical number pondering the soldier’s role in the war, the company strikes up “Honey Bun” in unison without accompaniment for a few bars. This previously quiche and silly entertaining number becomes a vessel for displaying the longing loneliness of the men away from home. It also reveals that these soldiers aren’t fighting for any nation or ideal, it’s for the place they’ve left, for the love they can’t get, and for their baby girl that awaits their return; thus, the sailors have answered the question personally, but more importantly what is the country fighting for. This is left decidedly unaddressed.
All of this being said, what really matters is that the songbook and orchestral arrangements are, in so many ways, spectacular and moving. As David pointed out, this revival has clearly made a conscious effort to showcase the music as one of the most important parts of the production. He explained how innovative and unprecedented it was to have the thrust stage open up completely to reveal the orchestra throughout the entire ovation. Shining the spotlight on the musicians meant that not only the songs, but the accompaniment would play an essential role in the presentation of the story. In David’s words, “The drama of the musical becomes the music itself.” And it sounded superb. The music is excellently composed and the execution was perfect. Did I mention it won the Tony for sound design as well? Furthermore, with the added bonus of this tremendous cast, which can, in every sense of the word, sing, the musical beauty becomes transcendental. (I wish I could. 10. “Sing! Captain” – Handsome Furs) Paulo Szot’s performance was especially incredible. Stolen from the world of opera, his deep baritone and powerful voice, which mimicked the emotional machismo of Emile de Becque, stole the show with “This Nearly Was Mine.”
I am a little miffed about the hype surrounding Kelli O’Hara. David had previously seen the show without her, but, he said that seeing it with Ms. O’Hara made all the difference in the world. She’s great, no doubt about that, but she never really steals the show or completely takes over the stage. Her voice has incredible range and a beautiful timbre, plus her energy is off-the-walls crazy. However, her ability to act is less impressive. The naivety of her character and the girlish emotion the role calls for were simply unconvincing. Maybe my cynicism towards Ms. O’Hara should be more appropriately directed at the role itself. Perhaps there isn’t a place for Nellie’s innocence like there was in the post-war era of the late 40s, but I was constantly looking for the character’s depth. Her culturally conditioned racism is hardly enough to provide another facet to the role, and her love angst seems to lack, not gravitas, but maturity. A careful vulnerability is indeed difficult to pull off. Ms. O’Hara might be more of a spunky singer than a gifted actor. In fact, she actually does her best acting when she’s singing. Perhaps her paramount number, my favorite song in the show, “A Wonderful Guy,” successfully channels Nellie’s paradoxically aware naivety (“Oh, You’re so naïve, you’re so…” 11. “Naïve” – The Kooks). It speaks to musicals of all kinds in its complete and voluntary surrender to the corny yet wonderful. However, it was the unhinged joy that Ms. O’Hara brought to the stage when she sang, “I’m as trite and gay / As a daisy in May / I’m a cliché coming true!” that is so utterly moving. Those words speak a universal truth so intelligently conscious about its own ridiculous indulgence in true love that the subsequent rawness of the confession, “I’m in love!” hits home as much as any power number in any musical. It’s frank in its song-and-dance embrace of its own beautiful cliché. Instead of grief or angst, the audience is given a warm unfettered happiness, the hardest emotion to share. On the other hand, her childlike approach to other issues like race and war is somewhat less appreciated. Certainly Kelli O’Hara’s performance is wonderful to watch, but… Look, the show was amazing, incredible, fantastic… it just wasn’t perfect.
South Pacific comes highly recommended. It’s a classic and it’s classically executed. Afterwards, you’ll be affectionately singing or humming the tunes with a contemplative smile. (Here’s one I’m still singing, and I’m a straight guy. 12. “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair” – Ella Fitzgerald)
The rain having subsided, David and I walked down to the 40s and grabbed a pretzel whilst we discussed the show. Saturday had been quite a full first day in The Big Apple. I was glad for it to be over, but I looked forward to waking up and exploring. Stay tuned for tales from Sunday.
1. “They Live in the Meadow” – Black Moth Super Rainbow
2. “Ticket to Ride” – The Beatles
3. “Red Rain” – The White Stripes
4. “Shut Up I Am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings” – Sunset Rubdown
5. “Wasted Time” – Kings of Leon
6. “Everything in its Right Place” – Radiohead
7. “Did You See the Words” – Animal Collective
8. “Well Respected Man” – The Kinks
9. “Soldier’s Grin” – Wolf Parade
10. “Sing! Captain” – Handsome Furs
11. “Naïve” – The Kooks
12. “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair” – Ella Fitzgerald
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