Confession: I've always disliked South Pacific — Page 2

I always found S.P. a bore, too. I could never understand what Emile saw in Nellie Forbush. And as for Bloody Mary, she seems like a pimp for her daughter. Lt. Cable and Liat are a nothing couple and seem like just a hook-up for one night only. They remind me of Pinkerton and Butterfly, wham bam, thank you maam, and goodbye. (Thanks for the memory.) The sailors and Billis are just plain silly. I do recall thinking that Ezio Pinza was a very dashing Emile with that operatic voice to die for! I guess the bottom line is that I really didn't care about the characters as portrayed.

I'm honestly not a big fan either, for the reasons you talk about. I just think it's from another era. I'd love to see the revival, but it always seems like I'm trying the show again to see if I like it.

Sondheim has said its the least-revived R&H show and for a good reason.

Broadway Mouth: Hearing the Sweet Smell of Success

Updated On: 4/3/08 at 03:19 PM

Not a South Pacific fan either...but I've never seen a first rate production of it. And as much as I find the show a bit of a snoozer, I am considering giving the new revival a shot. Maybe this one can change my mind?

I hate the revival of my FAVORITE musical, Gypsy...so maybe, I will like the revival of one of my least favorites, South Pacific. Who Knows?

Love the score - hate Nellie.
PC or no...she is just obnoxious

I saw it in a very good Pittsburgh CLO production and realized that it's not a very good show.

It's one terrific song after another, but they aren't as integrated into the story as well as the songs in "King and I" or "Carousel" or "Oklahoma" are.

I only knew it from the long, rather boring, weirdly tinted Josh Logan movie. So, seeing the original book was where the disapointment came in.

She doesn't find out that the little half-caste kids running around are his until right before intermission, which makes her "I can't marry you!" seem as contrived a plot complication as you had in any of the musical comedies from the 1920s.

And with all that happens in the second act, her deciding to stay with him seems just as contrived.

But Hammerstein's librettos have always been wordy.

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I have done the show twice as Jerome (thank the lord im too old for that role now) and would like to play cable some day. OF the big 5 Carousel is my favorite but this is definitly my second. I just dont like King and I. Oklahoma bores me and i have never seen SOund of Music on stage but i love the movie. I am excited for this current production and hope i have the money to see it when I go to NY in august.

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