BWW Reviews: SOUTH PACIFIC at The 5th Avenue Theatre

The 5^th Avenue Theatre is presenting the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic "South Pacific".  This 2008 Tony and Drama Desk award winning revival comes direct from it's continuing run on Broadway and is directed by Seattle favorite Bartlett Sher (who was one of the aforementioned award winners).  So with all that in it's favor, it's surprising that the show did not wow.  It's good but not great.

The story (in case you've been under a rock for the last 60 years) follows two couples as they try to keep their love going during World War II.  Based on James Michener's "Tales of the South Pacific", the story centers around Nellie Forbush, a nurse from Little Rock, AK who falls for a French plantation owner, Emile de Becque while stationed on an island in the South Pacific.  Meanwhile a young Marine officer, Joe Cable arrives on the island and finds himself swept off his feet by Liat, a native girl and daughter of one of the island's prominent "entrepreneurs" named Bloody Mary.  Oh and amidst all of the romance, there's a war going on.

Now I must start off by saying that I have never really cared for this show.  Yes, it's been around for six decades, yes it contains standards from musical theater such as "Younger than Springtime", "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair" and of course "Some Enchanted Evening" to name just a few.  And yes, it's from theater Juggernauts Rogers and Hammerstein.  But it's also been done to death since it's inception, and I feel is entirely too repetitious.  If I had to hear one more reprise of "Bali Ha'i" I was going to go insane.  Not to mention that I have never seen a production that managed to capture the story.  It always seems to be sacrificed in order to play those all too recognizable songs. 

Sher manages to regain some of the heart of the story (which I can assume why it was and is still such a success on Broadway) but only one member of this touring cast managed to really sell me on the situation.  Carmen Cusack as the "Cockeyed Optimist" Forbush not only has a stunning voice but also kept her focus and character grounded in the reality of the situation throughout the entire show.  She is funny when she needs to be, sweet and naïve when it's called for, and heartbreakingly real as her world falls apart.  And while this shining star went a long way to demonstrate how this show can work on all levels, unfortunately the rest of the cast weren't really up to her performance.  They all have wonderful voices and interesting characters but so many of them abandoned the realism of those characters in favor of being larger than life and just being characters.  I can only imagine if the others were up to the caliber of Cusack that they could even make someone who isn't swayed by this classic, like me, change his tune.  So kudos to Sher for his vision and Cusack on her performance.  They got me halfway there, but there was no one else to close the deal.

So if you're a fan of the show already, then you could walk out of this production having had the best theatrical experience of your life.  The show is really much better than I have seen before (especially the movie).  But if not, you may want to pass on this one lest you be sucked into a never ending world of reprise after reprise.

"South Pacific" plays at The 5^th Avenue Theatre through February 21^st.  For tickets or information contact the 5^th Avenue box office at 206-625-1900 or visit them online at www.5thavenue.org.

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