Most theatregoers will list Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific” as one of the classic musicals of all time. Thanks to Martin Dodd and Peter Frosdick’s creation of UK Productions in 1995 we have had a reasonable supply of these classic musicals performed by amazingly talented casts, made up of some of the cream of performers, both well established and relatively new to the profession.  The latest offering from this top class stable is the current recently started UK tour of “South Pacific” starring Dave Willets as the charming Emile De Becque and Helena Blackman, who became known to the nation through the reality TV show ‘How Do You Solve A Problem like Maria?’, as Ensign Nellie Forbush.

Set around the American Forces in the South Pacific at the end of the Second World War, it also shows the intolerances of white middleclass Americans, a lifetimes teaching that those who are not white and American are third or forth class citizens, not worth anything.

Although the film is more about Emile, the stage show is really more centred on Nellie.  Nellie’s youth, innocence and un-sophistication leave her wide eyed yet un-pretentious when love enters her life. The mature French Plantation owner Emile De Becque falls for her attractive looks, her sweet innocence and ability to say exactly what she is thinking. Her arrival also affects wide-boy Luther Billis used to being able to get anything he wants and always on the lookout for the opportunity to earn the easy dollar. He is stunned by Nellie’s arrival and for probably the first time in his life he has found something that he cares more for than the chance of making the fast buck. Nellie and Billis form a deep close friendship, but she is totally oblivious to his deeper feelings.

We also meet US Marine Lt. Joseph Cable sent on a secret mission looking to recruit De Becque as his aid. His frustration with De Becque’s refusal to assist allows Billis to use Lt. Joseph Cable to take a boat over to ‘Bali Ha’i’. Bloody Mary introduces Cable to her daughter Liat and the second love story begins.

Most stage productions of this show have seemed to be copies of the film with most of the well known and much loved musical numbers becoming parodies. This version has definitely developed these ideas and brought out the underlying prejudices making them seem ridiculous.

This whole cast is superb. The suave sophisticated Dave Willets as Emile De Becque utilises his vast wealth of theatrical experiences brilliantly and is a perfect foil for Helena Blackman as the naive knuckleheaded young optimist Ensign Nellie Forbush. Helena’s performance belies her relative newness to the profession as she flows through the full gamut of emotion with apparent ease.  

Ian Mclarnon as Lt. Joseph Cable is seen as most peoples ideal of the all American boy of the time. It is little surprise that Kanako Nakano as Liat would fall for his charms, again we have a seemingly perfect couple. Sadly we get little opportunity to hear Kanako’s singing voice, Ian’s vocal talents however are amply displayed in the beautiful love song ‘Younger Than Springtime’ and the contrasting hard-hitting ‘You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught’ sung with Dave Willetts.

The comedy is shared between both Sheila Francisco as Bloody Mary and Christopher Howell as Luther Billis. Sheila’s renditions of ‘Bali Ha’i’ and ‘Happy Talk’ are brilliant and very different from the interpretations I have seen before. Christopher as Luther Billis may not have a solo number but he joins in with ‘Bloody Mary’, ‘Bali Ha’i’, and the two show stopping numbers ‘Honey Bun’ with Helena Blackman and the Nurses and of course the infamous ‘There Is Nothing Like A Dame’ which involves most of the cast. He is on stage for a large amount of the time and almost always manages to steal every scene he is in.

The rest of this extremely talented and very attractive cast provide a good strong base upon which the leading characters are able to display their own unique performances in total confidence of presenting a unified and completely enjoyable theatrical experience.

This is a strong ensemble show and there is always something happening to keep the attention focused including during the ‘Overture’ and ‘Entr’acte’ ,my two least favourite parts of any show, although it is the time we get to hear the full uninterrupted quality of the shows orchestra, on this occasion lead by Geoffrey Tinniswpood.

The set in itself is beautifully designed, it is extremely effective and although at times seems very complicated it is also at others extremely simple. The lighting plot seems very complicated and the technicians get many opportunities to display an extremely wide variety of effects. Costumes range from very basic to sumptuous via extremely imaginative. The choreography team lead by Chris Hocking have developed interesting and different moves to some of the best known numbers in the annals of musical history. Brought together and directed by Julian Woolford and his team.  For further information on this show and other UK Productions see the website www.ukproductions.co.uk .

South Pacific is in The Kings Theatre, Glasgow on 17^th March 2008.