One of the big surprises in Opera Australia’s entertaining, zippy and stylish production of South Pacific is Lisa McCune.
Many will have seen McCune as ‘XO’ Kate McGregor, the prim Executive Officer of HMS Hammersley in the TV series Sea Patrol. McCune’s character, Nellie Forbush, an unworldly, big-hearted nurse is involved in the American navy here yet also surrounded by balmy tropical seas. McCune wraps up Forbush amazingly well in a light- up- the- stage performance, singing, dancing and acting distinctively as a triple threat performer. She brings magic to the role of the awkward ingénue who falls hard for cultured Frenchman Emile de Becque in this mega successful revival by American Bartlett Sher.
The cast across the board is a post-silly season tonic, with Christine Anu as the flinty, opportunistic Bloody Mary; a local trader in authentic shrunken heads and grass skirts who blasphemes against the French. Gyton Grantley as the mischievous, wheeling dealing Luther Billis is a riot, and the persuasive singer Daniel Koek is convincing as Joe Cable.
Teddy Tahu Rhodes cuts a suave and dashing figure as Emile. Traditionally, a classically trained singer has played this role. There’s no criticism of Rhodes’ gloriously rich, resonant voice, it’s just that such a powerful instrument is not compatible with an amplified, belted delivery. Rhodes’ extraordinary voice comes across as boomy, partly because of QPAC’s merely functional rather than expressively enhancing sound treatment, and, it’s operatic complexion doesn’t blend with the music theatre crooning of Anu, McCune and Koek. Given the show’s dramatic context of the Second World War, Rhodes’ laboured French accent that periodically strays into Austrian territory is unfortunate.
There was the possibility that this Rodgers and Hammerstein show could be overwhelmingly all sugar and no spice with its play list of ‘Some Enchanted Evening’, ‘Younger Than Springtime’, ‘I’m In Love With A Wonderful Guy’ and “Bali H’ai’; all anthems that have burned brightly in the cultural psyche of the English-speaking world.
Scher’s take plays up the show’s original anti-racism thread that was considered offensive and accordingly watered down in 1958. Nellie’s outraged disgust at Emile’s former marriage to a Polynesian native with its yield of two mixed race children is underlined, for instance, and there’s nothing frothy about the ironic, little known gem, ‘You Have To Be Carefully Taught’.
One of the high spots has to be McCune’s song and dance routine ‘I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair’ complete with real flying soapsuds, splashing water and the pink bather suited chorus, and there are plenty of laughs in the sequences involving the high octane, tap dancing chorus of USN Seabees. Overall, Opera Australia’s populist and crowd pleasing production was enjoyable music theatre that was rewarded with a standing ovation on opening night.
Opera Australia presents
South Pacific
By Rodgers & Hammerstein
Directed by Bartlett Sher
Starring Lisa McCune, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Daniel Koek, Christine Anu and Gyton Grantley
Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre
4 – 27 January
