This is in every way a first-rate revival of South Pacific. Michael Lichtefeld has choreographed several shows at Stratford but here outdoes himself as choreographer and outdoes his former directors. Designs and lighting are very handsome, and Berthold Carriere's musical direction is, as always, pretty much ideal, doing full justice to Richard Rodgers' beautiful score. Carriere may be Stratford's one indispensable and irreplaceable artist. Beautiful, opulent-voiced Cynthia Dale has become Stratford's primary musical comedy star (as well as impressive repertory actress (e.g., Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), but her elegant persona hasn't always seemed ideal for roles like Aldonza in Man of La Mancha or Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes. A bit surprisingly, she turns out to be as cheeky and delightful an Ensign Nellie Forbush as I've seen. And, of course, she plays the dramatic scenes and sings and dances superbly.
Theodore Berg is evidently a well-established concert and operatic baritone and plays the rather stiff role of Emile de Bisque affectingly, singing splendidly. There's no point in comparing his successors in the role to the unique Ezio Pinza because there aren't any bassos even in opera houses today with a voice that lyrical, flexible and all-around great. Fortunately, we have Pinza's recordings.
The large cast is top-notch. Grace Chan is an amusing, big-voiced Bloody Mary. Laird Macintosh is a handsome Lt. Joseph Cable with a very pretty tenor voice. And Bruce Dow sings the comic role of Luther Bills better than most have while clowning winningly (if less than glamorously) as a pot-bellied hula dancer.
The strong-voiced male chorus is unusually beefy and virile, reminding me of the surprisingly hostile reception that "Nothing Like A Dame" got originally in England, where too many U.S. servicemen were still stationed. Horny GIs lusting after their women were not what the Brits wanted to hear about. These guys' sing and dance like seasoned Broadway gypsies and still really look like hunky sailors and marines.
Funny, touching, and a visual and musical treat, this is an irresistible show.
