Confession: I've always disliked South Pacific

[buddharich]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 5:25am

I'm not talking about the current production, I haven't seen it; I am talking about the book: golly gee, it's BAD to be racist (yes, it is); characters meet each other and fall in love in 30 seconds; the characters are dull dull dull; I don't care about either of the couples; and don't get me started on the misogyny that runs throughout the entire show. I dislike the BOOK of this musical.

The score, however, has some great songs. But it's definitely my least favorite of the "big 5" Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals.

[Urban]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 6:30am

Hey, I have never liked it either (And I have always been open with it).

Though not for any of the reasons you have listed above (for example, I always let those 30 second falling-in-love cliches in any show pass - it is just one of those things I just accept in any given show to move along the plot, a neccessary evil).

I just honestly don't like the music. I find it absolutely boring. Well more importantly, nothing has ever grabbed and hooked me (ie, I feel madly and deeply in love with Carousel because it just didn't hook me, it bowled me other like a tenpin). Diff'rent strokes, diff'rent folks I guess, but I just never have liked South Pacific.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 6:45am

It is my least favorite of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals. I've seen the current production and really liked what they did, but it hasn't changed my overall opinion of the show.

[bschneid76]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 6:59am

The score is lovely, but the rest is dull. I disliked the film, I saw a production in Straford, ON and nearly fell asleep. I only want to see the Broadway production to hear it with a full orchestra.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 10:29am

Don't feel bad. I feel the same way about Oklahoma!

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 10:33am

I like South Pacific in small doses. Carousel is probably my favorite.

[BkCollector]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 10:36am

I enjoy Carousel the most out of all thee R&H musicals, but all of them put forth really bad images into our media, women most of all, the song 'Something Wonderful' is repugnant to me. It basically says that your man can treat you horribly, but once in a while, he's say something nice and that makes it all alright (yuck).

And the original poster is right, the book is really bad, and the first act is wayyy too long.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 10:51am

don't feel bad, I hate, HATE Gypsy.


Please remember people the times these shows were written in.....very different times, when everything didn't have to be so PC........frankly during WW2 that's how a lot of men, and women thought as they were raised that was......doesn't make it right, but lets keep things in context.

[BkCollector]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 10:52am

OMG, so do I.

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 10:56am

I hate The King & I. :)

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 11:29am

I 'outed' my dislike of South Pacific in the Unpopular Opinions thread last year - I just can't get on with it. It's over-long, preachy, dull and the score just doesn't interest me for some reason...

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 11:33am

Not a fan either...even with half naked sailors. Nelly is an ahole.

[Calvin]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 11:37am

I'd forgotten how many reprises were in it!

My goodness, you hear the "Some Enchanted Evening" underscore starting and you think, "They're gonna sing it AGAIN?!"

[philcrosby]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 11:38am

And I am showing my age here I am sure, but I would much rather spend a few hours with Nellie Forbush than revisit any of the self-centered twinks in RENT.

KING AND I is my favorite R&H though.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 11:47am

An R&H true confessions thread! I love it. I like "South Pacific" fairly well, but honestly, I find "Oklahoma" fairly dull. And ordinarily I like stories about farming communities (Willa Cather and what not). It's just the book for "Oklahoma" I find dull.

Of course, I'm just going by the movie. Who knows, the play might blow me away.

[ahimsa]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 12:19pm

I prefer South Pacific to Gypsy, personally, however I do dispise the character, Nellie Forbush.

I'm not sure if they added in this production the fact that she met "the Frenchman" two weeks earlier, but practically her first line in the movie is "So all this is yours?!!" and in this production it's "How long did it take for you to build this plantation?" or some such. She's such a gold digger. After "the Frenchman" disappears, she takes it upon herself to move into the plantation and care for the two kids! Kelli brings the character more maturity.

What I like about the score is the melodic duets and castaway solos. Quite dreamy. Call it preachy if you will, but the song "You've got to be taught" took insight and guts to write back in 1956. "Some enchanted evening" remains my favorite ballad. In this production, the ensemble of 13 men belting out "There is nothing like a dame" is resounding. Who can't love the role reversal "Honey Bun" number? As a prelude to "Wash that man right out of my hair" in the revival, you get two nude men. And finally, "Bali Hi" as always been calling me.

I'm glad this show was finally brought back to town. Just bring me some West Side Story with Rob Ashford doing the choreography and let me die a happy man.

[puppetman2]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 12:20pm

SOUTH PACIFIC is one of my favorites. I grew us at the time it takes place and know that the prejudices are accurate. You have to take it as a mirror of it's time
For the younger posters who are used to the fast pace of things today the first act may seem long, but it really isn't for the time it was written.
The score is filled with wonderful material. There isn't a poor number in the whole show.
Stop trying to make it a contemperary musical and enjoy it is an absolute classic.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 12:22pm

philcrosby...twinks in RENT?

Uh...


?

[Calvin]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 12:24pm

There's the guy who says "ewww" after "meatless balls."

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 12:25pm

Not sure what Rent has to do with this thread, is that comparing Nellie to Mimi? Is Mimi a twink? I dont want to hang out with either of them, but Nellie is still an a-hole.

[nmartin]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 12:35pm

I'm coming out of the closet on this one. I don't like any R&H musicals except The King and I, and there are parts of that I dislike.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 1:22pm

Yeah, I'll have to echo the poster who said to take a look at the time and socio-political climate. Generally ALL art shouldn't be taken on face value. The world plays an enormous part on what goes on in an artists' creative mind.

Back then, South Pacific was considered VERY daring and rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. Remember we're talking the very late 40's post WWII pre television age. This show was aimed at the middle class white audience...some of which held these very views. Believe it or not at the time it was I think only the 2nd or 3rd musical to win a Pulitzer. That's no small accomplishment.

I think we'd all benefit from a little respect for this piece. It's history. And I'll totally agree that it's dated...VERY dated (which is what I think most of you are talking about when you say you don't like the structure of it). For the record, I've never been a great fan of this show. BUT I do understand it's importance and respected as a piece that's well constructed.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 1:59pm

Sorry to rile some folks up, and that was partially my intent.

Saw RENT. Admired what Larson tried to do. But to me, the characters are self-absorbed and extremely shallow. But I admit it's probably generational. Don't get me wrong -- I have lived through AIDS. Every bit. But those characters in that musical don't resonate with me at all. They don't interest me.

But SOUTH PACIFIC does. Maybe because I heard so many stories of WWII through my parents and grandparents, that era is very alive for me. Maybe because I grew up during the 60s, racism is also something very alive for me.

Nellie, who starts the musical as provincial and bigoted, grows a tremendous amount during the course of the show. So does Emile. And tragically, so do Liat, Cable and Bloody Mary.

So I guess my only point was there can be differing point of view on what is "good" or what we "like."

And that's what makes he world an interesting place.

[K8eeyore]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:00pm

I really like 'Carefully Taught' and. . .

Nope, that's it. Other than that song, I hate South Pacific with a passion.

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/3/08 at 2:37pm

Well, the characters in ReNt do fall in love even faster than South Pacific - it's like fast food love, in half an hour there is two new couples, that beats any speed dating.