A provocative, somewhat unsettling but intriguing perspective on Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1943 musical.
The first thing we notice as we are ushered to our seats is how brightly lit the auditorium is. This lighting does not change, nor does an overture begin to signify the start of the show. The cast simply walk out onto the quite baron set: a solid wooden stage and back-drop with subtle doors within some of the wood panels; a big white table; wooden chairs (just enough for each cast member); a couple of slow cookers and cans upon cans of Bud Light. Oh and guns. Lots of shotguns and rifles displayed on the walls, and not just on stage, below the box seats too.
The band were situated just below the stage and practically on the laps of the front row. The band, just as the cast, are dressed the part for early 20th century American farm country, equipped with a banjo, accordion, pedal steel guitar and mandolin among some more common orchestral instruments.
The bright lights coupled with the cosy Wyndham’s Theatre meant I could see every hair on each audience members’ head in front of me, and even scribblings which I assumed must be cue notes on the Musical Directors’ script. If I had known Arthur Darvill and co were going to be able to see me this clearly throughout, I might have shaved.
The brightly lit audience were immersed from the off as we joined the rest of the cast as spectators to the opening scenes and numbers. Instead of characters such as Will Parker (James Patrick Davis) entering from the wings when their cues came, they would interject or come to life from their spectators’ chairs. At first I found this jarring, but I grew into this approach and began to appreciate the immersion. Although this is not a style I would like to see regularly, I thought, overall, it was effective and was one of many decisions made by Director, Daniel Fish, to encourage us to really pay attention throughout.
Bold and unique lighting and staging choices were a theme throughout this musical. Notably, one of the first of these moments occurred in Act 1, the first full blackout – and I mean FULL blackout – for quite a prolonged period of time. There were no safety lights for the aisles and nothing, not even the outline of the actors, could be seen. During this scene microphones were used to amplify the actors’ quietened voices, serving to heighten our senses. Later, a projection appeared, covering the whole of the backdrop and gently lighting Curly (Arthur Darvill) and Jud (Patrick Vaill). Both sat on the table face to face, less than a foot apart, Jud holding a microphone between them as Curly clutched his guitar. Beside them, a camera operator dressed as a 20th century cowboy, held a camera barely inches from Jud’s face and this live footage was the projection across the whole backdrop. You could clearly see each bead of sweat on Vaill’s face and every strand of his long hair bounce to the puffing plosives spoken or sung by Darvill. We all breathe the despair as tears fall down Jud’s face while he retorts and sings the odd line of ‘Pore Jud Is Daid’. The camera turns to Curly, still playing guitar and singing, staring deep into Jud’s eyes. This is the first time the focus turns to Curly in the scene, a very visceral and raw few minutes.
Rarely do I leave a musical and find myself not instantly reminiscing about the music, singing, dancing, and acting, but preferring to discuss the staging and direction of the show. This is not to say that I did not enjoy the music, singing, dancing, and acting, nor that I found the direction incredible. This urge was drawn from how diverging from the norm this piece of Musical theatre is. The music was expertly played by the band, led by Musical Director and accordionist Huw Evans. The cast sang every number impressively, with strong acting throughout. The two leads, Arthur Darvill and Anoushka Lucas as Curly and Laurey, are brilliantly cast and fantastic musically, however it is the supporting roles that stood out to me. Georgina Onuorah as a comedic and vivacious Ado Annie, James Patrick Davis as the hilarious pining Will Parker, Patrick Vaill as the intense outsider Jud Fry, and Liza Sadovy as a strong and entertaining Aunt Eller, all excelling in their respective roles.
In complete honesty, there is so much I can say on this musical but still I cannot find clarity on whether I actually enjoyed the production or not. Depending on which lens I choose to look back upon the show, I could rate it anywhere from one to five stars. The reimagined musical offers an extremely talented cast and musicians. The delivery is truly unique and however unsettling you may find it, it maintains intrigue. However, the lights at times felt too blinding and uncomfortable. Even though I can appreciate this may have formed part of this lighting choice, sometimes I found it too much and would not recommend it to anyone suffering from any light sensitivities. For anyone who might be interested in an unconventional musical, an interesting spectacle, and has strong retinas, a trip to Wyndham’s Theatre’s ‘Oklahoma!’ might just be for you.