Music: Richard Rodgers

Lyrics and Book: Oscar Hammerstein II

Director: Julian Woolford

Reviewer: Jim Nicholson

The Public Reviews Rating:

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! is unquestionably a classic and this touring production does it proud with some very decent leads, a large, young but very talented chorus and a wonderful set that says “hang on, we’ve spent a few bob here!”.

Julian Woolford directs and is also the set designer and he has come up trumps on both fronts. The show last over three hours but moves along swiftly and always has the audience attention. The set is as good as any I have seen touring, bar the West End juggernauts, in the past few years as Woolford starts out with a very believable farm and provides a fantastic smokehouse, barn and grove. He uses picture framing to perfection within the dream sequence to highlight Jud’s addiction to the scantily clad female.

Choreographer Chris Hocking gets the best out of the youngsters. The program suggests they have cast a “job lot” of graduates from the Arts Education Schools in London, and although, at this stage, there is no Jimmy Johnstone amongst them they are tight and utilize Hocking’s lines and formations to great effect. A very talented bunch indeed.

Mart Webb has star billing but I have always found Aunt Eller an underplayed part, especially vocally, for such a supposed main role. Even so, as you would expect, Webb gives it her all and her clarity is a great example for many of the less experienced performers around her.

Mark Evans makes a fine Curly with a silky smooth voice that does great justice to numbers such as “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning”, “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top” and “Pore Jud is Dead”. He is ably supported by, love interest Laurey, played by a very distinctive Gemma Sutton who throws herself literally into the role and is a joy to listen to and watch, with her dream sequence performance the highlight of the night.

Pete Gallagher is Jud Fry to a tee, velvety rich in sound and manically scary. Comic turn supreme is Vas Constanti who as the peddler Ali Hakim has the crowd in the palm of his hand all night and deservedly gets the top response at curtain call.

Joseph Pitcher’s Will Parker is perhaps stupider than I have ever seen before and he certainly demands centre stage through all the dance routines. His love interest, Ado Annie, played by understudy Beth Angrahad does for me what all Ado Annie’s do, but unfortunately the only shots allowed were from on the stage.

A very enjoyable night out and well worth a visit even if you have already seen countless versions of the show before. If there is a show with a better set of foot tapping songs in act one then please let me know.

Runs until 21st August

Oklahoma!- Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, 4.0 out of 5 based on 2 ratings

Tags: 2010, Beth Angharad, Chris Hocking, Elizabeth Dennis, Gemma Sutton, Jimmy Johnstone, Joseph Pitcher, Julian Woolford, Mark Evans, Marti Webb, mayflower theatre, Musical, Oscar Hammerstein II, Pete Gallagher, Richard Rodgers, Southampton, Vas Constanti