SOUTH PACIFIC- A MUSICAL AND A MESSAGE
By Oni Adunni
In the musical South Pacific, Rodgers and Hammerstein songs like “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,” “I’m In Love with a Wonderful Guy,” and “A Cockeyed Optimist,” blared full force from the Ahmanson stage right toward the hearts, nostalgic minds, and on the lips of the entire audience. The result? A wonderful, joyous, seemingly unanimous karaoke experience. Enjoyment of the singing most assuredly equaled the music; especially with the rich resonate voice of Rod Gilfry and the crisp, clear as a crystal bell voice of Carmen Cusack.
In opening scene Michael Yeargar’s soothing tropical set design backdrops a South Pacific Island during world war ll , and the posh home of Emile de Becque (Rod Gilfry) . The chemistry of a beautiful sunset, sparkling blue waters, not to mention Gilfry’s Emil romantically, and stirringly singing “Some Enchanting Evening” to Navy nurse Nellie Forbus (Carmen Cusack) was the perfect equation for their declaration of love. Obviously opposites attract, for he is an ultra suave wealthy French Plantation owner and she, complete with a Little Rock Arkansas, or as he says “small rock” southern twang admits to being a”Hick”.
Throughout the play their relationship is topsy turvey, then, just when it is on again, Nellie, with stateside racial prejudice calls it off because she learned that Emil has 2 mixed children from his late Polynesian wife. In one moment—literally, one moment, when Nellie explains her breakup referring to the word “Colored”, “BAM!” the lighthearted tone of the musical eclipsed.
Not to worry, for South Pacific, with Stage Manager Brian J L’Ecuyer, Bartlett Sher’s direction and Christopher Gattelli’s choreography is an all out truly major, jubilant high energy song and dance musical. Giving evidence is swirling in sync acrobatic ensemble dances and songs of the sailors station on the island letting their thoughts clearly be known to meet women on a nearby island. Joining Lieutenant Billis’, (Matthew Saldivar) standout performance of “There is Nothing Like a Dame,” drives their point decidedly home.
Adding to the musical’s comedic element is the rotund happy Tokinesase grass skirt weaver Bloody Mary (Keala Settle) whose daughter Liat (Sumio Maeda) is on the nearby island Bali Ha’i. In her effort to have Liat wed a sailor, to entice them to the island, she sings but another South Pacific famous song “Bali Ha’I”. Settle’s beautiful voice almost mystically lulls into a place where one experiences the essence of tranquility. It worked at least for Lt. Joseph Cable (Anderson Davis) who went to the island and met Liat. Davis, tenderly singing the award winning song “Younger Than Springtime” to the beautiful Liat signals how he was instantly charmed. Another aspect of racial ugliness surfaced due to Lt. Cable and Liat brief ill fated romance based on, from his point of view not to marry a Tonkinease girl.
With robust musical and dance performances by the dynamic cast, the plays serious war espionage mission about Lt Cable and ultimately Emil going to a Japanese held island to report on ship movements seems blurred. Its clarity however comes forth in learning of the unfortunate death of
Lt. Cable and Emil possibly being missing in action.
It is Emil’s MIA status that crushes Nellie’s prejudice into smithereens. Gone are her ill-judged ideas of racism, replaced by the realization of an absolute love for a man she almost wanted out of her life. Manifesting her total change of heart is Nellie’s adoration for Emil’s charmingly played children Ngana (Christine Carrera ) and Jerome ( CJ Palma). In an almost fairy tale ending while Nellie is mothering them singing the playful “Dites-Moi” song, Emil appears, joins in, and, well, as a famous bard once said, “All’s Well That Ends Well.”
This South Pacific runs through July 17th at the Ahmanson Theatre. Its original 1949 production was considered the 5th longest running show in Broadway history. It won a Pulitzer Prize, 10 Tony Awards, spawned a hit movie, had numerous revivals and toured America and London. Its wonderful music will always warm the heart, but more important to this writer, is how thousands and thousands of people have had the opportunity to see-feel-hear and know that truly, the greatest of all is love.
Oni Adunni is a free lance Arts writer