South Pacific at The Barbican

On Saturday 24th September 2011 I made my way to London by train eagerly looking forward to my visit to The Barbican to attend the matinee performance of The Lincoln Center Theater production of South Pacific. After a lunch of spinach gnocchi garlic and sage cream, parmesan crust, tomato and basil salad and crusty bread at The Barbican Food Hall I was ready for all the excitement and drama of this Rodgers and Hammerstein classic.

With a brilliant cast including Paulo Szot as Emile De Becque, Samantha Womack as Ensign Nellie Forbush, Alex Ferns as Luther Billis, Daniel Koek as Lieutenant Cable, Loretta Ables Sayre as Bloody Mary and Elizabeth Chong as Liat this was always going to be a splendid afternoon's entertainment.

The story of the American navy trying to find a breakthrough against the Japanese in the Pacific during the Second World War complete with romance, comedy, suspense and classic songs like There Is Nothin' Like A Dame, I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair and Happy Talk this is a musical that moves your heart and gets your feet tapping.

Paulo Szot singing Some Enchanted Evening was amazing while Samantha Womack was very convincing as the nurse from Little Rock, Arkansas. The issues of race and social issues are part of South Pacific as both Nellie Forbush with Emile De Becque and Lieutenant Cable with Liat try to come to terms of how their relationships can fit into their worlds.

I must admit I had some enchanted afternoon at The Barbican Theatre and I very much enjoyed my journey to the world of Rodgers and Hammerstein. A revival well worth making taking us back to the golden era of Broadway musicals.