visiting heavenly South Pacific

It's a bit late in the day to be reviewing the Lincoln Center revival of "South Pacific". But as I only just saw this almost two year old production last night, I wanted to toss in my belated two cents.

I've long loved this show, but it's been mostly a theoretical love. I love the score and the story and the characters, but none of the productions I've seen has measured up to the greatness inherent in the material. I wasn't around back then when Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza were dazzling audiences and subsequent versions have been pleasant but not the exhilarating experience this show was. And I wasn't even seeing the first string stars, as Kelli O'Hara has left the show and Paolo Szot was not in it last night. No matter. Laura Osnes and William Michals were just dandy. Vocally, dramatically, in every way, they filled the bill. Supporting actors Danny Burstein as Billis and Loretta Ables Sayre as Bloody Mary were as splendid as they've been acclaimed to be. Smaller roles were also filled most capably.

Much of the credit goes to the director Bartlett Sher, who trusted the material and guided his cast wisely. Nothing gimmicky; no original concepts. Some new emphases on lines that gave the characters a slightly different spin. Nellie's reaction to learning that Emile had a relationship with a woman of color showed more of the racism beneath the surface than is usually portrayed. Her instantaneous turning on Emile was more than usually unsettling.

The crowning glory of this operation is the orchestra. A full thirty-piece orchestra sounding as wonderful as can be. And it was live, in person, not piped in from a room on the fifth floor and filtered through blaring loudspeakers. As the overture began, a portion of the orchestra was visible in the pit below the stage. Then, suddenly the front part of the stage that was over the orchestra pit started pulling back, to reveal the entire contingent. The audience, stunned to see this wonderful assemblage, started applauding right in the middle of the overture. It was a treat to see these usual unseen artists (as well as hear them unimpeded) and as the overture drew to its close, I could see the percussionist poised with his cymbals, ready for that climactic clashing, and I had the thrill of anticipating it seconds before I saw and heard it. No wonder classical music fans love to WATCH concerts as well as hear them.

As the music for the first scene started, the stage moved forward, once more sheltering the orchestra, but we knew they were still there and their handiwork throughout the evening made the experience all the more thrilling. This is one of the great advantages of live theater --- live musicians, playing real instruments. I've been attending theater for nearly forty years, a lot of it small scale productions with piano or small combos and I've enjoyed them. But nothing tops the experience of a show with a full orchestra and I still haven't gotten blase about it. Every time it's like I'm fourteen again, seeing my first Broadway show.