Good Evening!
I'm back from South Pacific...
I'll keep this "review" short. For now at least. All in all, a very enjoyable evening. However, I wasn't as blown away by the production as much as I had expected to be - at least from the reactions of some of my friends and colleagues. I know South Pacific very well after working on two major regional productions of the show, and through my own study of the show - including all the cut and interpolated material, so...
The whole show is there, however... This production does include "My Girl Back Home", but it's been placed where I don't recall it every being placed before. The book scene setting up the song actually seemed a bit "suspect" to me. -I'll have to go back through my script library. There were also a few small dance breaks I don't ever recall seeing or hearing. Again, I'll have to check my scores.
I appreciated the director's choice to make everything seem "real", however, I felt at times that it felt almost "too real". The show is very realistically, deliberately paced. Nothing is rushed, nothing is forced. Unfortunately, at least for me, there was no constant "crackle" or "tension" in the air. South Pacific has never been an "exciting", edge of your seat show, but the juxtaposition of the War and the beauty of the setting should provide some sort of tension throughout. The score is also presented in a very "easy" manner which, to me, made everything sound a metronome tick to slow.
All of the above is truly nit-picking due to my familiarity with the material. I really did like the production. There is a TON of good stuff in the production. The 30-piece orchestra! - which actually gets revealed - literally - at various points in the show. The leads are uniformly well cast, and really inhabit their parts - and sing like dreams! And if Danny Burstein doesn't get a Tony nomination for his portrayal of Billis, then I'd have to seriously consider boycotting the Tony Awards this year! -Well, maybe not a boycott, but his Billis is truly the best one I've ever seen.