‘South Pacific’

Press, 5 July 1986, Page 8

‘South Pacific’

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific,” presented by the St Joseph’s Light Operatic Society, directed by Maureen Stopforth, musical direction by Veronica Hobby, at the Repertory Theatre, July 4 to 12, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Reviewed by Philip Norman. If last evening’s presentation of "South Pacific” seemed considerably shorter than the three hours it actually ran, it was in no small part due to the fine performances given by the two leading characters. As ENsign Nellie Forbush, Sally Webb gvae a sparkling performance. She moved with good grace, delivered lines with a creditable American accent and happy sense of timing, and generally sustained the open, honest characterisation of the role. Her special strength though, was her singing. In this area, she demonstrated a finely-honed sense of rhythm and a pleasing ability to colouring phrases. Songs such as “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out-a My Hair” were delivered with a vitality that was Infectious. Ralph Scott proved to. bdra delightful Emile dev

Becque — charming, courteous and, to Nellie at least, Irresistible in the end. His acting was generally strong and drew ready sympathy from the enthusiastic audience. As with Sally Webb, it was his singing work that shone. Ralph Scott possesses a warm, rich baritone voice; his tone, especially in ballads such as “Some Enchanted Evening,” was beautifully produced. The lyrical lines he drew throughout the show never lost their appeal. Further down the cast list, Anne Price gave an admirably buoyant account of the Bloody Mary role. Again, it was the musical side of the performance that carried the greatest impact, although her movements and gestures were commendably fluent. Mike Hammersley turned on some lively spells as the forceful Captain George Brackett. Elsewhere in the casting, weaknesses were apparent Kevin Knowles’ rendition of Luther Billis was more than a touch laboured in places, lacking the requisite slickness of tongue and action. In the hands of Kent Bloxham, Lieutenant Joseph Cable came across

as a rather arrogant Ivy League graduate. His singing was too force, and his sentiments too overblown to win even let alone love, from the fleetflooted Liat (Michelle Fairweather). Both chorus and orchestra, under the baton of Gerald Oliver, produced a variable quality of sounds. In places the articulation was hearty, but on more than a few occasions the pulse teetered precariously. What counted though was the obvious enjoyment and energy produced by the band and chorus. This easily compensated for the many rough points in the production. The direction work by Maureen Stopforth is in the main simple but functional. Some tightening up of the many scene changes could help shave vital minutes off the running time, as could a brisker pace for the ensemble scenes. In all though, the St Joseph’s Light Operatic staging of “South Pacific” makes for a reasonably enjoyable evening’s entertainment. Certainly. it is one of the more satisfying productions mounted by the society in recent years’?