Is South Pacific relevant?

[tonytony109]

Posted: 10/1/08 at 11:09am

Is South Pacific, the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical now running in revival at the Vivien Beaumont, merely a dated period piece, or does it have something relevant to say to us these days?

Admittedly, some of best known tunes from the show have turned into elevator music (“Some Enchanted Evening”), and some of the lyrics express a sentimentalism that may seem quaint to 21st century ears steeped in irony. Even the setting of the show, a backwater Navy outpost in the WWII Pacific, populated by overly hearty (and horny) Seabees, is distressingly close to one of those corny old John Wayne war movies.


But here’s the real deal with South Pacific: two hot romances. One is cross-cultural: Emil Debeq, the sophisticated French planter with a past and the naive Navy nurse Nellie Forbush from Little Rock. The other is cross-ethnic: the hunky young Lieutenant Joe Cable from Philadelphia’s Main Line, and the beautiful young Polynesian girl, Liat.

Primarily because of the cultural conditioning of her Little Rock upbringing, Nellie breaks off her romance with Debeq when she finds out he had two children with a Polynesian woman.

Despite their passionate attachment, Cable realizes he can’t marry Liat and take her back to his Main Line life because of the expectations and prejudices of that society. In one of the show’s key numbers, “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught,” Cable bitterly mocks the prejudices that have thwarted both his and Nellie’s romances:

“You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear
You’ve got to be taught from year to year
It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear
You’ve got to be carefully taught

You’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made
Of people whose skin is a different shade
You’ve got to be carefully taught

You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late
Before you are six or seven or eight
To hate all the people your relatives hate
You’ve got to be carefully taught
You’ve got to be carefully taught.”

I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to substitute any of today’s prejudices (and romances) for those in the show. Granted, these days marrying someone who is racially or ethnically different may not stir up much fear and hatred - but how about marrying someone of the same sex?

Of course there’s lots more to South Pacific than the message against prejudice. Even though some of the music may be overly familiar, the score is full of wonderful melodies (assuming one likes that kind of thing), such as Debeq’s gorgeous, regretful baritone solo “This Nearly Was Mine.”

The comic numbers all have tuneful hooks, especially “Honey Bun,” which has a sort of 1940’s burlesque vibe, complete with a chorus line of Seabees in drag.

It doesn’t hurt that the cast of the revival physically fit their parts (Cable, shirtless and buff) and all of them have great voices. Set design is excellent: spare, but evocative. And they use the show’s original orchestration, which calls for over 30 musicians, so the sound is full and rich. A show that gets 7 Tony Awards ought to be worth seeing. this one definitely is.

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[PSLove302]

Posted: 10/1/08 at 11:18am

Are you writing a college paper on SOUTH PACIFIC and expect feedback from the oldies?

Just ask the question.

Don't post a damn essay.

[Mamie]

Posted: 10/1/08 at 11:40am

He can post whatever he wants. Nobody's forcing you to read it. I thought it was very well done and enjoyed reading it myself. Comparing the cross cultural and cross ethnic issues in the story with today's gender issues was interesting and very appropriate.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 10/1/08 at 1:10pm

I totally think it's relevant.

[sally1112]

Posted: 10/1/08 at 1:14pm

I would rather read a well-thought out essay on a Broadway topic than "are these seats good?" anyday of the week

Post on O.P.! Post on!

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 10/1/08 at 1:18pm

Comparing the cross cultural and cross ethnic issues in the story with today's gender issues was interesting and very appropriate.

Ooh, how about instead of Cable and Liat, Cable and Leo?

Will go perfectly with the updated West Side Story, which will include the slightly modified song "Mario"!