Verdict for South Pacific

Music :) :) :) :)
by Richard Rodgers, lyrics Oscar Hammerstein II, music director Stephen Brooker, supervisor by David White.
Classic!.

Story :) :) :)
by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan. Very controversial in the 60's, but today no one cares about inter-racial marriage.

Singing :)
Philip Quast has the best singing voice of the entire cast. There are so many classic songs from this show. What a pity no one has make any of them into his or her show stoppers.

Production :) by Trevor Nunn. Of all the work I have seen Mr Napier perform at the NT, I think South Pacific is his weakest link.

Musical Staging :) :) :) by Matthew Bourne

Designer :) :) by John Napier

Lighting :) :) :) by David Hersey

Costume :) :) by Elise Napier.

Sound :) :) :) by Paul Groothuis

Acting :)
I think it is very difficult for anyone to follow Mary Martin or even Mitzi Gaynor's interpretations of Nellie Forbush. With Lauren Kennedy's experience she only did a passable performance. Nick Holder as Luther has his moments in the show but, like the rest of the cast, some magic was missing. As for the sailors, I never saw a group of actors who need to burn off such fat.

reviewed on 2/12/2001