Hugh Jackman in Oklahoma

Posted: 11/1/04 at 12:09am

Hey kids,

I just rented (from Netflix) the video of the London Production of Oklahoma with Hugh Jackman and Schuller Hensley which of course later came to NYC.

The video is very good for being a video of a stage production.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 12:09am

I have it too. I was happy when I finally got it in the mail!

Updated On: 11/1/04 at 12:09 AM

[Plum]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 12:12am

Have it and love it. Yes, the singing isn't as good as on the OBC or movie, but I think a lot of the new choreography is really fun (especially "The Farmer and the Cowman") and the acting, especially by Jackman and Hensley, is tremendous. Their smokehouse scene is great.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 12:12am

LOVE that version.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 12:13am

Love it too

[B.B. Wolf]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 12:18am

I love this video! It made me love Oklahoma which I had always loathed. But the acting is so damn good from everyone, esp. Jackman and Shuler. But, glad ol' Hugh ditched the curly hair.

[Plum]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 12:41am

I find the fact that he needed to have it permed hysterically funny for some reason.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 12:44am

Okay, I read this and I swear, my first thought was-"Why the hell is Hugh Jackman in Oklahoma and what's he doing there?"
Okay...I'm caught up now...

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 12:48am

~it was filmed on a cound stage, so its' not really a STAGE show. The audience was spliced in.

~Did you notice the gratuitous crotchs hots of Hugh in the first scene?

[Phantom2]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 1:25am

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[MaTakeALookAtMe]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 1:31am

I saw this a while back on PBS...I was not impressed. Hugh was okay. My main complaint was that Ali Hakim and Ado Annie, at least the actors playing them, were not funny at all .

[B.B. Wolf]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 1:49am

I agree, ma. I thought Ali and Ado Annie were both VERY weak.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 1:51am

I thought Jessica Boevers was MUCH a much stronger Ado Annie in the revival that the girl in the video.

I also prefered Justin Bohon's Will parker.

Posted: 11/1/04 at 8:35am

Believe it or not, I actually know Jessica Boevers.

[Plum]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 10:05am

To be fair, stage humor often doesn't come across on any kind of recording. But at this point I usually fast forward past a lot of the Ali Hakim stuff, especially. I've watched that movie waaay too many times.

Posted: 11/1/04 at 10:10am

The Ali Hakim in this porduction isn't bad. Let's face it, it's kinda a stupid character.

The thing that killed me was when this production was in NYC they cast a persian actor in the role lik they were correcting fifty years of improper casting. Thing is, Ali Hakim is a CON MAN! He's not from Persia, he's porbably from Yonkers. In fact I wouldn't be surprised is his real name is Barnaby Tucker. The persian actor was really good in the role, it's just that it was kind stupid for them to cast a persian on purpose.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 10:26am

I always disliked that Ali Hakim over the one I saw in the same production here in New York. He sounds like he has a Brooklyn accent. Even if he were only PRETENDING to be Persian, I'd really hope his accent was a little bit better than that!

[Plum]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 10:35am

Well, that's the funny part, supposedly. He's sorta like Pirelli in Sweeney Todd- a really over-the-top con man.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 10:37am

That makes it much more laughable. Perhaps I should just give in to my sense of humour and realize that he's supposed to be so ridiculous.

[Plum]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 10:38am

Like I said, I mostly skip over his parts in the movie. I see his intent, but it probably came off better onstage. That fact that they filmed with no real audience reactions didn't help, either. Updated On: 11/1/04 at 10:38 AM

Posted: 11/1/04 at 10:44am

Updated On: 11/4/04 at 10:44 AM

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 3:11pm

I saw this on PBS a few months ago and that is when I fell in love with Hugh Jackman. Once, I played Aunt Eller in Oklahoma and I keep fantasizing about Jackman singing Oh What A Beautiful Mornin....to me.

[ponine24601]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 3:13pm

i loved this as well. i couldn't stand the guy who played Will though. Justin Bohon was soo much better.

Posted: 11/1/04 at 3:16pm

We really enjoyed this production. And Hugh in leather chaps leaning against the windmill with his arms over his head almost gave us coronaries!

[Plum]

Posted: 11/1/04 at 6:34pm

That man can really wear those chaps...