Billowing fronds of coconut trees, cool shore breezes, American 20-somethings patriotically rollicking in the sand on charming South Pacific islands; this is one aspect, the glorified one, of the early 1940s.
Then there is another truth, this one less charming: a war in which men needed to kill each other, desperate racism, greed and thievery, classism and sexism.
They exist side by side in the textures of South Pacific, the musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein, based on Tales of the South Pacific by James Michener.
Barrington Stage Company opens its 2002 season with this popular musical. Directed by Julianne Boyd, the production stars Peter Samuel as Emile de Beque, Christianne Tisdale as Nellie Forbush, and Gail Nelson as Bloody Mary.
Most of a certain generation of Americans can identify the songs of this musical. “Bali ha'i?†You wanted to go there. “Younger than Springtime?†You danced to it. “Some Enchanted Evening?†You burst into tears at the first bars of it. “Honey Bun?†You saw the idealized woman encapsulated in it. “You've Got to Be Carefully Taught?†You hear the anthem of how racism extends from generation to generation.
Imagine what it must have been like to be Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein, and Joshua Logan (director) in the early 1950s and wanting to tell Michener's story to America and the rest of the world. At that time, schools were segregated, interracial marriages against the law in many states, and human life had only recently seen again how expendable and cheap it really was. And you want to tell a story about these very things-on Broadway, with costumes and sets, with a famous opera star and even a racially mixed cast not 10 years later!
So maybe you begin with a sweet, ingenuous white American nurse who is sure that she is not prejudiced, but certainly curious about people outside of Little Rock. You include another white person – this time an honorable male soldier (engaged to someone in Philadelphia) who is not above making love with an underage "native" girl. The foreign white person is older so he can be viewed as "wise" – he has 2 daughters from his relationship – not marriage – to a now-deceased "native" woman.
The paths Rodgers, Hammerstein, and Logan had to walk were narrow and fragile: tell the story and teach the lesson without losing money at the box office. Nellie Forbush has a breakthrough that love is stronger than prejudice and the soldier, Lt. Joe Cable, is killed before he can marry the young Tonkinese girl he loves, neatly sidestepping that barrier.
This production by BSC is lush. Julianne Boyd's forte is making productions look rich on a shoestring. The set is beautiful and tropical; Emile De Beque's plantation home is lavish. Costumes by Lara LaVon are charming, especially those in the "Honey Bun" number. And although the music is meant to be fully orchestrated, the two pianos are sufficient to satisfy the audience.
Of note in particular are the supporting cast members. Adam Mastrelli as Stewpot is a delight to watch. He fills the stage with his character's awareness of the men around him. The sly ingenuity of Luther Billis, played by Christopher Vettel, is riotous: there is a Luther in everyone's profession, someone who is always looking for the "deal," the "in," the "shortcut." Vettel makes Luther Billis come alive.
The voices are glorious Peter Samuel's baritone is passionate as he sings "Some Enchanted Evening;" Christianne Tisdale is adorable in "Honey Bun." Gail Nelson brings Bloody Mary alive with a slight jazzy twist, just enough to make the audience sit up and notice the ingenuous charm of "Happy Talk" and the poignancy of "Bali Ha'i." "Dites-Moi" is sweet as sung by Brittany Arneson-White and Arielle Watlington.
The only problem in the production is the staging. Somehow the blocking seems stiff, and Forbush and DeBeque uncomfortable singing with each other in the "Twin Soliloquies." When Cable sings "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" to DeBeque, neither turns to the audience to include us, to make the larger world understand.
But big production numbers like "There Is Nothing Like a Dame" are joyous. The singers fill the stage and the audience is convinced of the sailors' longing for women to see and touch. The "Thanksgiving Follies" is just amateurish enough to make you believe that a group of sailors and nurses threw this together in their spare time. It adds just the right counterpoint to the moment of De Beque's last-ditch effort to win back Nellie Forbush.
Nothing in South Pacific is too dated to make it real. This is an enjoyable way to spend an evening and come out singing all night – and maybe even the next day.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Winter Storm Warning Issued for Berkshires
Another snowstorm is expected to move through the region overnight on Friday, bringing 5 to 8 inches of snow. This is updated from Thursday's winter weather advisory.
The National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y., has posted a winter storm warning for all of Berkshire County and parts of eastern New York State beginning Friday at 4 p.m. through Saturday at 1 p.m.
The region could see heavy to moderate snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour overnight, tapering off Saturday morning to flurries.
Drivers should exercise caution on Friday night and Saturday morning, as travel conditions may be hazardous.
Saturday night should be clear and calm, but warming temperatures means freezing rain Sunday night and rain through Monday with highs in the 40s. The forecast isn't much better through the week as temperatures dip back into the teens with New Year's Eve looking cloudy and frigid.
Samuel Currence served his country in the Air Force with distinction, professionalism and unparalleled humility from 1962 to 1985, retiring as a technical sergeant. click for more
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
click for more
