How old is Bloody Mary's daughter in South Pacific?

[winston89]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 11:18pm

I saw the show on Saturday night and loved it very much. However, the one thing I was having trouble figuring out is the age of Bloody Mary's daughter. I know that they kept saying that she was young, but they never gave an age.

At first I thought that she was around 18 or so. However, after a second look, I thought that she must be younger then that.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 11:30pm

I'm not sure if it's written anywhere, but I always thought her to be closer to 16. Still innocent, still "mama's girl".

However, in the current production, I thought she actually seemed older than other versions I'd seen.

[Kate-Monster]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 11:53pm

I always thought that Liate was supposed to be in her late teens--like 16-18. You know, old enough to be thought a woman but not really an adult. They never really say how old she actually is.

[winston89]

Posted: 8/17/08 at 11:57pm

18 was my first guess. But, I stopped and did a double take and thought "Is she really 18?" I was having trouble figuring out her age just by watching the character. I thought about asking one of the actors at the stage door but I totally forgot to do that.

[Patash]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:10am

I'm simply astounded that there is any confusion about her age. It's plain as day. She's younger than springtime!

[Weez]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:15am

I don't think anyone ever got more specific than "teenage", but you're looking at no less than 16, for the most basic decency, and no greater than 18, because she really is very young.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:22am

Very good, Patash!

[keen on kean]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 12:37pm

Does anyone know what the Michener book says? I thought it was closer to 15 than 18 - she is very child-like, and would have been considered marriageable once she reached puberty.

[caitlinette]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 2:53pm

So how old is Cable supposed to be then? I mean, besides being younger than springtime when he's with her?

[Jon]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 3:02pm

Cable would likely be 21 to 25.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 3:03pm

Decency?
This is Wartime, she's probably 13 or 14 and Cable could be about 19.

[Patash]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 3:45pm

He'd be a lieutenant by 19? I don't know, just asking.

[Weez]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 4:13pm

Second World War, right? Don't know about you guys, but we had kids scarcely out of school signing up to the military, many lying about their age so they'd get taken. 19 does sound awfully young, but therein lies half the tragedy of war. Stanhope in 'Journey's End' (yes, I know it was a different war) was only 21.

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 4:23pm

I always thought Cable was around 25 and Liat was around 15-16. Not uncommon in those times or in that area of the world, and in the age difference/"purity" of Liat lies some of Cable's inner strife.

[CurtainCall2]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 4:39pm

I just took a look at the script and at Liat's entrance, the stage directions say, "A small figure appears in a doorway, a girl, perhaps seventeen."

[Weez]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 4:41pm

..... I'm going to have to go dig my Michener out of the basement. This'll bother me for an age if I don't at least have a flick-through...

[Patash]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 4:52pm

This wouldn't have been an issue if only Rogers and Hammerstein had left in the original song for South Pacific, sung by Liat, instead of taking it out and saving it for a later show. You know the number, when Liat enters and sings "I am Sixteen, Going on Seventeen".

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 5:02pm

Cable is probably in his early to mid-20s. He's been to, or even graduated from, Princeton.

[JRybka]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 5:07pm

Wait.... The classic thing would have been if Liat wouuld have been the name of one of the whores in Miss Saigon... Now there would have been an inside joke....

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 9:30pm

Liat is ranged 15-22 in the equity auditions information on playbill.
and I agree, Cable has to be in his mid-20s since he has already graduated from Princeton

[spidey_882]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 9:53pm

I just checked Michner's book (which I've owned forever and, admittedly, have never never gotten around to reading). Liat is described as being "around seventeen years old."

Bloody Mary is 55.
Nellie Forbush is 22.

I'm just skimming through and I haven't found exactly how old Cable is supposed to be, but he describes himself as still being a student at Princeton.

Of course, differences probably exist between the book and musical scripts.

Updated On: 8/18/08 at 09:53 PM

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 10:00pm

I guess the question for me now is "How young is springtime?" 18?

[Patash]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 10:05pm

It's a little younger than summer, and a whole lot younger than winter.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 10:17pm

So the order would be spring, summer, fall, winter?

I thought that a circle had no beginning D:

[gypsy4]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 10:51pm

I would say 15 or 16.