(seen at the afternoon performance on 20th August 2024)
For many younger theatregoers, the 2022 Daniel Fish and Jordan Fein production at the Young Vic / Wyndhams is all they know of this landmark musical. To see the show done properly in its original London home, no less, simply underlines the monkey’s thoughts about the redundancy of the Fish approach.
Make no mistake, “Oklahoma!” is timeless and glorious when presented as originally intended. Top cast, stunning large orchestra, choir to augment the sound, and a director / choreographer with respect, clear understanding and feeling for the source material.
Bar backdrops, this show is as fully-staged as any other production. Rebecca Brower takes full advantage of the deep Drury Lane stage to place the musicians and backing singers in the rear, stairway winding through them for dramatic entrances. Put Aunt Eller’s rocking chair homestead one side of the arch, Judd’s barn lair the other, with hay bales, crates and tables between, movable as required for dancing.
Rather beautifully, Tim Deiling uses the conductor Ben Glassberg’s light as a full moon to enhance moments, and takes advantage of follow-spot positions in the balcony. Sebastian Frost and Tom Marshall’s sound design shake the room when gunshots are needed, the odd crackle and loss of sound at other times just one of those things which can happen at one-off events.
This one really belongs to the cast. Without a weak link, from the moment zesty London Musical Theatre orchestra strike up the overture, it is “Away We Go!”
Joanna Riding gives Aunt Eller’s wit and wisdom extra bite, with a playfulness borne of life experience 'taking pleasure where you can find it' for a few moments in the unrelenting struggle of farming. Centre of the community and of this cast.
Daughter Laurey has Zizi Strallen on her very best form. Playing to her strengths, the voice is exceptionally rich, her defensively angry approach to romance, crumbling despite herself veers from hilarious to moving. Best of all, her lead in the “Dream Ballet” is entrancing – quite how Mr Fish thought his “Dream Baby” stomping was an improvement in 2022 is beyond the monkey. Moving on...
Let’s be honest, Phil Dunster as Curly McLain is a shoo-in for Woody should they ever produce “Toy Story The Musical.” Meanwhile, his visual giggle at a lack of curly hair is our first endearment to him. We are on his side from the moment he outlines his evening’s plans to his dream girl to his later righteous defence of her.
A very fine scene outlining a hoped-for demise “Pore Jud Is Daid” with Tosh Wanogho-Maud as Jud, and also later ones duelling over Laurie, allow both men to explore deeply passion from two very different angles. That Wanogho-Maud finds some sympathy in his role is unusual, perhaps that theatre-filling voice helped – you will not have heard the part sung better.
For the other romantic leads, Christina Bianco and Jordan Shaw as Ado Annie and Will Parker are simply a delight.
With her hair under even less control than her libido, Bianco reveals Ado Annie as far less of a scatterbrain than usual. She really does sometimes know just what to do – and is a trifle more calculating than it appears. Opting for reality over caricature is a wise choice, Bianco looks very at home spotlit centre stage.
Shaw simply is Will. Solid and handsome, straight as a die, total contrast to his love. Quick-thinking, his tap shoe losing its sole on his first entrance became an unexpected highlight. Dealt with highly professionally by him, but a source of merciless ad-lib ribbing by the rest of the cast. No effect on his performance, just superb.
The brilliant Irvine Iqbal as peddler Ali Hakim displays comic timing and slick salesmanship in abundance. A bag of dodgy goods, even dodgier morals, his final pairing with Gertie (Nicole-Lily Baisden, let’s hope Annie did deal with THAT laugh – and where Baisden got it from we shudder to think, but thank her for the hilarity) leading to an unforgettable sharp exit stage right.
By contrast, bespectacled Andrew (Sebastien Torkia) deals with daughter Annie and the townsfolk with equal intelligence. As steady as Aunt Eller (was there ever something between them? We think so, once), refusing to be thrown by his wayward offspring, his key impromptu court moment is well handled.
Mentions too for the ensemble, who dance up a storm and added much to the visual and community atmosphere. George Beet, Ashleigh Graham, David McIntosh, Amonik Melaco, Carrie Willis (ballet training shining through), David Winters and Jessica Wright are all strong dancers and singers, each more than capable of the lead roles they will no doubt play at some point.
Completing a trio of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s greatest shows presented again in London in 2024 (the fully staged “The King and I” and concert version of “Carousel”), we are left in no doubt that properly staged with love, care and absolute respect for the material, these shows cannot age, just be raised to ever higher glory as here by the best people theatre can find.
The land this "Oklahoma!" belongs to is grand.
5 stars, standing ovation given.