Checking in with the Oklahoma! Revival (West End)

[binau]

Posted: 7/8/23 at 5:38am

I saw the Oklahoma revival once on Broadway and I absolutely loved every second of it, even if I didn’t really ‘get’ all of it (e.g. the Ballet lol). I had avoided the West End production for fear of ruining the memory but decided to check it out as a curiosity after it won the Olivier Award for best Revival and Best Actor (Arthur Darvill as Curly, who has since recently left and has a replacement but we’ll get to that).

TLDR: The production is in EXCELLENT shape and right now and the strongest I’ve ever seen it (I’ve seen it 5 times). Some thoughts on the cast and production below. If you happen to be visiting London soon, I’d recommend the show.

Arthur Darvill (Original Curly) - A very strong vocalist and very dark almost psychopathic take on the character. From the opening scene there is this uneasy feeling that something is not right about his character, as he is licking his licks and on the hunt for Laurey. He is visibly upset when he is not getting his way. Ultimately, I think this take to me is a very clear execution of Daniel Fish’s take on the character and production as described below (from a tour cast member), where his motivation and behaviour is a lot more ambiguous and questionable putting Laurey in a tough situation.

“Curly’s cruelness and Jud’s loneliness frame an impossible and unfair decision for Laurey to make, so that the dream ballet is no longer a dance with her two suitors but a battle against the societal demands Laurey is trapped within. Through her gaze we see the men’s wooing as subtle cover for determined ownership, damaged emotional needs, and base sexual desire. Ultimately everyone in this small community must act in accordance to whatever helps them survive, no matter the cost.”

Ultimately though, I preferred Damon Daunno in the role. While there was always a little bit of dark subtext I thought Damon’s take was slightly less relentlessly dark (even though the subtext was there), it took time to uncover and I found it more believable that Laurey might be interested in Curly. With Arthur’s take, it honestly felt like Laurey only ended up with him truly just to escape Judd.

Anoushka Lucas (Laurey) - WOW. WOW. One of my favourite performances ever. I loved Rebecca Naomi Jones on Broadway but Anoushka takes the role to a whole new level. It’s unusual I prefer West End actors over Broadway actors but Anoushka could be a star in the making. Her musicianship and unusual quality of her vocals/vocal timbre is very special for a musical theatre performer. Watch the video of her singing one of her original songs below and listen to how carefully she can control her vocals and vibrato - and the timbre is so smoky and full of personality. It’s very beautiful, and imagine putting this voice at the end of the Act One a cappella “Out of My Dreams”. It was like watching Bernadette Peters sing “Send In the Clowns” - so restrained but so impactful. I think you could feel the audience was stunned. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scqCD8ZrYdA

 
(I think she might be on vacation this week so probably best to wait until she is back in the show!)


In addition to the vocals, she has this genuine magnetic stage presence and you just can’t keep your eyes off her the entire time. Her take on the character almost feels ethereal - like she is floating in clouds in a different world from everyone else. Whenever she is the only person standing near the back wall it’s almost this inversion where it’s like she is standing centre stage.

Daniel Fish must be SO HAPPY with this casting choice - I kind of feel he was trying this with Rebecca and it worked but Anoushka’s voice and presence just take it that extra level.



 

 



 

Patrick Vaill (Jud) - I think he gave a Tony-award winning performance on Broadway and I think he is giving an Olivier-award winning performance here too. Feels like he is being underrecognised. From his sullen eyes looking around, to his hilariously comical physical movements when he is so proud of himself about taking Laurey to the dance, to the intense scenes with Curly where he is crying at the thought of people caring about him if he died, to the show stopping “Lonely Room” and of course all his involvement in the final scene. It’s just an absolutely perfect performance and I’m so happy he transferred with the production.



James Davis (Will Parker) - The another Broadway transfer. His comic timing is impeccable and highly warranted to take some of the edge off the production.

 

Georgina Onuorah (Ado Annie) - Those vocals of “I Caint say no” tore off the roof and like James highly needed to take the edge of the production a little. I was curious how they’d approach the character without Ali Stroker but it just works and they have added some funny touches that I don’t remember on Broadway/doubt it could even be possible? E.g. Ado basically tying up Will Parker and dragging him off the stage lol. I believe Georgina was the standby Cinderella for Carrie Hope Fletcher and I sorely regret not making the effort to see her in the role now.

 

Liza Sadovy (Aunt Eller) - Fresh off her Olivier-award winning run in ‘Cabaret’ Liza hits it again and like Mary Tessa on Broadway somehow manages to subtly steal the show. Her line readings in the final scene were just chilling. Another one I might say one-upped Broadway.

 



 

REPLACEMENTS & UNDERSTUDIES

 

Sam Palladio (Curly) - They have just replaced Arthur for the first time with Sam Palladio (Nashville). He doesn’t quite have the voice or acting chops of Arthur and I wonder if he even rehearsed with Daniel Fish because his take is VERY different - it’s warm, it’s sexy, it’s likeable and it’s sincere. It’s not really dark at all and it seems to go against the entire premise of the production, but Daniel I’m sorry to say I think it works better and I think the audience had a MUCH better time. In fact, of the 5 times I’ve seen the show I think this is the only time I felt the audience truly loved the show (but we’ll get to that). Like we were told in “A Strange Loop” I think it is true the audience want an attractive warm lead and to quote a strange loop there probably was not a ‘dry p**** or limp d*** in the house’. The chemistry with Anoushka is insane. I would say it makes the ending far more shocking.

 



Sally Anne Triplet (Aunt Eller) - Maybe not quite as intense as Liza, but very cool vocals! 

Understudy Laureys (Brianna Ogunbawo and Helen K Wint) - I’m sorry to say but the production is substantially less enjoyable without Anoushka in the role. Helen’s performance was my favourite between the two but the tone to me is serviceable/talented musical theatre actor and a character that feels more ‘normal’ or ‘in the world’ but far less special and ethereal.

 

THE PRODUCTION ITSELF

 

I was curious how it would read in a traditional theatre setup compared to Circle in the Square but there is nothing to worry about really - if anything it feels more intimate when you’re all sitting at the front with the band and practically on stage with the cast. They bring some elements (e.g. the guns and coloured lights etc.) into/over the audience so it still feels a bit immersive.

 

No chilli corn bread at intermission anymore! Although they still project the chilli image at the back during intermission hehe.

 

I couldn’t imagine sitting far away or above the Orchestra section for this show.

 

AUDIENCE REACTIONS


Despite my love for the show, it doesn’t seem to be going down well with all audiences and you can see this in the mixed word of mouth and mediocre sales. I think the show has a bit of a problem - the title and marketing doesn’t really appeal to young people but this production feels like it’s tailored to modern/young sensibilities. I think older people are probably absolutely shocked at what they are seeing at points and also not the best target market. In particular, the dream ballet is jaw dropping and to sit around an older audience while the fog comes out, the lead dancer appears and then all associated antics and the boots etc. I think I actually love it though - and then the tone as it shifts back to the dance is done SO well.

 

Personally, I hope that Sam can help warm up the audience a bit, bring in a new audience and improve word of mouth.

 

WHY DO I LOVE THIS SHOW SO MUCH?

I don’t know. I think it’s because I can’t think of any other example where a Director really can transform a show so much. I was reflecting and the entire production feels to me as if it was inspired by Michael Greif type production. A focus on minimalism, subtext and complexity, and modern sensibilities. I also absolutely love all the new arrangements - which again like a more modern sensibility seem to take us more into the world/style/location than the original orchestrations. There is this also slightly tacky student-feeling about the production at times that I just love - like I imagine east village art students just smoking a load of dope and shouting out the craziest ideas for an Oklahoma reinvention. And then actually having the balls to do it for real.

 
 

Updated On: 7/8/23 at 05:38 AM

[Skywalker3]

Posted: 7/8/23 at 7:10am

Thanks for this binau,

I saw the show 2 weeks ago with Arthur still in it. 

After the ending, it took me about 10 minutes before I could do or say anything. I was so confused and emotional. 
Absolutely loved it! 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/8/23 at 7:30am

Loved it on Broadway and glad to know it’s having further life abroad!

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/8/23 at 7:45am

Thank you for this exceedingly thorough review! I’m seeing it in London in two weeks.

Truth be told, I saw an early preview of this at CITS and was so utterly confounded and disappointed that when my friend said he was interested in this, I was hesitant. But I’m willing to give it another shot - especially since I loved Patrick Vaill (and that was about it).

[Owen22]

Posted: 7/8/23 at 8:24am

I concur about Darvill.  Damon was almost able to maintain Curly's sweetness despite the alpha male **** (which was always there of course).  Darvill was instantly sinister in the part and I wondered why Fish went in this altered direction, somewhat changing the feel of the core relationship.  Don't get me wrong, Darvill was great at what he was asked to do, but it wasn't Broadway's (or in my case St Anne's Warehouse's) Oklahoma! revival.  And Anoushka was tremendous (check out her one woman show at the Bush this year, I saw a workshop of it last year in their studio space and it's terrific).

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 7/8/23 at 11:56pm

Binau: Thanks for your incredibly detailed description of Daniel Fish's revival of ''Oklahoma!'' It's certainly not our father's ''Oklahoma!,'' let alone Rodgers & Hammerstein's. I saw it on Broadway and was totally baffled by it, and gave it a second chance when the national tour played San Francisco. For me, it's all or nothin', and it failed. I couldn't get past Fish's bizarre direction: playing ''Pore Jud Is Daid'' in the dark; turning its dream ballet into an electronic rock dance solo, and having Curly shoot and kill an unarmed Jud.

The best thing in this show the 2 times I saw it was the Curly: Damon Daunno on Broadway; Sean Grandillo on the U.S. tour. The audience in San Francisco really wasn't having it. Many walkouts. Tepid applause. But apparently that was par for the course. Christopher Bannow, who played Jud on the U.S. tour, wrote an essay for Howlround.com called: ''Surviving in the States: Audience Rejection on the Road With 'Oklahoma!' ''

https://howlround.com/surviving-states-audience-rejection-road-oklahoma

Updated On: 7/9/23 at 11:56 PM