[NEohioPAL] Review of "South Pacific" at PlayhouseSquare

[Bob Abelman]

Passionless but still powerful "South Pacific" at PlayhouseSquare

 

Bob Abelman

News-Herald, Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times, Geauga Times Courier

Member, International Association of Theatre Critics 

 

This review will appear in the Times papers 2/10/11

 

"I wish I could tell you about the South Pacific. The way it actually was. The endless ocean. The infinite specks of coral we called islands..  I wish I could tell you about the sweating jungle, the full moon rising behind the volcanoes, and the waiting. The waiting. The timeless, repetitive waiting."

 

There's passion in the words of James A. Michener, whose Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Tales of the South Pacific revealed the dramatic story of young American sailors stationed in the Pacific Islands during World War II.

 

Passion flowed from the outstanding 1949 stage adaptation of Michener's work, South Pacific, as it did in 2008 during the musical's Tony Award-winning Lincoln Center revival.  

 

Strangely, passion is the one thing missing from an otherwise superb national tour of the show, currently on stage at PlayhouseSquare. Its absence keeps the audience firmly in their seats, watching, rather than on the edge of their seats, emoting.

 

At the heart of this now iconic musical is the sweeping romance between Emile de Becque, a middle-aged French plantation owner, and Nellie Forbush, a young U.S. Navy nurse from Little Rock, Arkansas, as well as the magnetic attraction between Lt. Joe Cable and a native girl, Liat.  The happiness of all four characters is threatened by the realities of war and the racial prejudices that lurk in the underbellies of Nellie and Joe.

 

The depth of these characters' love for each other, and the racial tension that exists, is brilliantly captured in the music of Richard Rodgers and the lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein.  In fact, rarely has story, music and lyrics been so perfectly conjoined. The songs in South Pacific are moving, monumental and memorable.

 

The national tour production does this material justice.  The absolutely charming Carmen Cusack as Nellie, the commanding and operatic David Pitttsinger as Emile, and the affable Anderson Davis as Joe Cable have magnificent, world-class singing voices and capture all the emotion that is jam packed into each and every song.  They are accompanied-no, caressed-by a rich and perfectly synchronized 26 piece orchestra.  

 

Unfortunately, these three actors perform as if the object of their affection existed in theory rather than standing right next to them.  

 

Whether it's the ineffective direction of Barlett Sher or, more likely, the road weariness of the players, there's no romantic or sexual connection when Emile sings "Some Enchanted Evening" to Nellie. There is still no spark, no connection, when the song is reprised later in the show.

 

There's no passion between the players when Joe sings "Younger than Springtime" to Liat, sadly suggesting that their attraction is more hormonal and fleeting than fated.

 

There's no rapport between Nellie and the nurses during "A Wonderful Guy" or the lighthearted "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair."

 

And, while we're on the subject, there's a similar disconnect between the lovable opportunist Luther Billis and the rest of the sailors. Timothy Gulan misses the mark in his portrayal, failing to generate the audience's or his fellow actors' affection.  The "There is Nothing Like a Dame" number is filled with sexual angst but no real camaraderie. 

 

The talent in this production results in great musical numbers but their performances produce disengaging musical theater.  The lack of rapport and passion between the characters exacerbates rather than eliminates the divide between the past depicted in this production and the here and now of the audience.  

 

This is disappointing, but it is certainly not fatal for there is much about this production to admire.  A superb performance is turned in by Jodi Kimura, who's Bloody Mary-a delightfully conniving islander-is more complex and interesting than her 1949 incarnation.  There is a powerful and intriguing undercurrent in her song "Happy Talk" which, in other productions, has been a throw-away number with little if any weight.  

 

Also adding to the impressive quality of this production is the lavish landscape and set pieces created by Michael Yeargan, which is dramatically complemented by light designer Donald Holder and sound designer Scott Lehrer.  The look and sound of this show is transportive, even though the distractions previous described are not.   

 

This production opens with poignant words from Michener's novel covering a scrim that rises to reveal the stage and its occupants.  In foresight, this is the first indication that passion is a prop rather than a principle component of this production, but it gives way to an otherwise beautiful presentation of a classic musical.  

 

South Pacific continues through February 13 at PlayhouseSquare's Palace Theatre.  For tickets, which range from $10.00 to $75.00, call 216-241-6000 or visit www.playhousesquare.com.
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