Liat and Cable.- Page 2

[Glebb]

Posted: 3/23/08 at 10:25pm

Cable was in such pain during "Happy Talk", I'm surprised he heard Bloody Mary or saw Liat's 'Getting To Know You' dance.

[roquat]

Posted: 3/23/08 at 10:59pm

I didn't say racism isn't an issue today. I said that the portrait of it in SOUTH PACIFIC is dated and oversimplified--not the same thing.

[jrb]

Posted: 3/24/08 at 12:46pm

It may be dated. It may be oversimplified. But it's a piece of musical theater history. I think most people know this going in. Most aren't going in to be challenged. They're going in to remember.

Yes, some pieces endure, but I dare say that even the most volitile shows lose some sting over the years, by grace of mere exposure.
Shoot, even rent shocked people at first. Now it's practically tame. In 30 years when it's revived, we might say, "This is so dated and oversimplified".
We are always striving to push the envelope, especially in the arts. The amazing thing about humanity is that the envelope is ever-sliding. Things that shocked once will not tomorrow. This doesn't make them any less worthy of being revived.

I just think we need to keep in mind that revivals are sometimes done out of nostalgia and not a desire to make strong socio-political comments.