South Pacific

South Pacific

Inspire Creative
PACE Center
Parker, CO 
September 29 - October 15, 2017

The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific was controversial in its day. The storyline of racial tension is still relevant today.

The current production by Inspire Creative used the original script, which created a much longer show. The audience was treated to little heard reprises and dialogue which didn’t drag down the tempo at all. Act One was so loaded with classic songs it was hard to believe they were all from the same show.

The story revolved around Nellie Forbush. This is a part that requires an actress who is attractive and charismatic. She had exactly the right balance of charm and silliness. It was easy to see why the entire camp practically revolved around her. And her voice was perfect for the classic Rogers and Hammerstein score.

Opposite Nellie, was Emile who was handsome and engaging. His voice was up to the lush romantic standard, “Some Enchanted Evening.” One particularly impressive performance was by Luther Billis. He seemed to steal every scene he was in.

The portrayal of Joe Cable wasn’t quite as strong as the others. He seemed to change from in love to horrified at the object of those affections with little motivation. His ballad “Younger than Springtime” wasn’t quite the breathtaking love song it should have been. However, his angry turn with “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” brought an intimate rage to the words, reflecting more anger at his upbringing than his current situation.

The costumes and sets were perfectly suited for the show and the directing showed great flair. A working shower added fun to “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair” while a retractable scrim added mystery to the Bali Hai ceremony. The entire production played like a period piece without feeling dated.

If there was a downfall to this production it was the casting of some of the Polynesian characters. The actors performing the roles well, but considering the prejudice that occurred during the story, they looked too white to effectively move the story along.

Prodcutions such as this one effectively demonstrated why this show is a classic. In Inspire’s hands, it was timeless.