East Kilbride Light Opera Club - South Pacific

South Pacific - 1965

Index

History

South Pacific - Synopsis

cover of programme

Towards the end of the war, detachments of United States Navy, Army and Air Forces are herded together on an island in the Pacific. Thev are a discontented crowd; resentful of being so far removed from active operations and completely frustrated by the lack of "Dame ". The occasional sight of a small detachment of nurses only accentuates their longing for female society. The one native woman they do encounter is a revolting hag they name "Bloody Mary" who trades in souvenirs. Led by one Luther Billis, the men try to occupy their time "profitably" but everything is defeated by their sex starvation and a yearning to get on the nearby island of Bali-Ha'i where they believe lovely native girls and French planters daughters are to be found.

One of the nurses, Nellie Forbush, adored from afar by Billis, has fallen into a deep mutual attachment with a resident planter named Emile de Becque. He is a charming middle-aged Frenchman and confesses to Nellie when asking her to marry him, that he had to leave France because he killed a man. He satisfies her that it was not murder and that what he did was right, but he does not confide to her that he is the father of two half caste children, Ngana and Jerome. A new arrival by plane on the island is Lieut. Joe Cable of the Marines. He reports to Capt. Brackett, the commander of the island, that he has been sent to carry out a special mission. He is to be landed by submarine on another island to act as coast watch and transmit back bv radio, information of Jap activity. He requires the help of a trustworthy islander and Emile is invited to join Joe in this risky venture. but he refuses. Nellie then learns the truth about Emile's children and she is hurt and humiliated and turns away from him.

Meanwhile, Joe Cable has visited Bali-Ha'i. He has become passionately involved with Liat, the beautiful daughter of Bloody Mary. It was Mary's fond hope that by throwing these two into each other's arms thev would marry. But despite his love for Liat, Joe is much too conventional and colour conscious to consider such a marriage.

Thanksgiving Day is celebrated by a concert with Nellie and Billis leading the fun. Emile is there and again asks Nellie to marry him but she refuses; something "born in her" revolts emotionally against Emile's association with a Polynesian woman, even though the woman is now dead. In despair Emile, feeling he has lost everything he cherished, decides to join Joe Cable on coast watch. Together they are landed on a Jap held island. Just when they have accomplished all they were sent to do, Emile sends the last sad message. Joe has died of wounds and it is doubtful if Emile can make good his own escape. Without news of Emile and fearing that he too, may have lost his life, Nellie is overcome with remorse. She realises the true depth of her love for him and that nothing else matters. It falls to her lot to comfort the broken-hearted Liat and to take charge of the children Ngana and Jerome. And that is how Emile finds her when eventually he returns unharmed. Mothering his two children and ready to marry him.

South Pacific - 1965
by arrangement with Chappell & Co. Ltd

Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan

Characters in order of appearance
N'gana - Margaret Hay
Jerome - Roger Wyatt
Henry - Mathew Lang
Ensign Nellie Forbush - Elizabeth Rennie
Emile De Becque - David Hughes
Bloody Mary - Beryl Morris
Stewpot - Angus Henderson
Lt. Joseph Cable - Leonard Johnson
Luther Billis - William McGrady
Professor - David Waters
Capt. George Brackett - Robert McCrae
Commdr. William Harbison - Leonard Osborne
Lt. Buzz Adams - Denis Hannigan
Liat - Nan Tait
Yeoman Herbert Quale - Robert McDermott
Ensign Paula McGregor - Ann Struthers

Ladies of the Chorus
Theresa Boland, Jeannette Burns, Mary Brownlie, Anne Daly, May Dickson, Frances Doyle, Ina Fotheringham, Janice Jones, Barbara McElroy, Betty McKay, Anne McSherry, Olivia Rae, Molly Scott, Doris Strang, Anne Struthers, Elizabeth Struthers, Doris Wemyss.

Gentlemen of the Chorus
Roy Butterworth, Norman Carroll, Martin Cassidy, Alistair Currie, Angus Henderson, John Hackett, Denis Hannigan, Tom Kelly, Matthew Lang, Robert McDermott, Alex Robertson, Steven Russell, John Strang, William Struthers, William Stuart, David Waters.

Dancers
Mary Brownlie, Jeannette Burns, May Dickson, Margaret Hay, Molly Scott, Elizabeth Struthers, Alison Wallace, Doris Wemyss, Roy Butterworth, Martin Cassidy, Alistair Currie, Tom Kelly, Alex Robertson, John Strang, William Struthers, David Waters.

Production Team
Producer - Charles A. Barron
Musical Director - T. Maxwell Griffin L.R.A.M.
Dancing Mistress - Gillean Dickson

The Action take splace on two islands in the South Pacific during the recent war (sic). There is a week's lapse of time between the two acts.

Musical Synopsis

Act I
"Dites-Moi" - Ngana and Jerome
"A Cock-Eyed Optimist" - Nellie
Twin Soliloquies - Nellie and Emile
"Some Enchanted Evening" - Emile
Reprise—"Dites-Moi" - Ngana and Jerome
"Bloody Mary " - Men
"There is Nothing Like a Dame" - Billis and Men
"Bali Ha'i" - Mary
Reprise—"Bali Ha'i" - Cable
"I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out-a My Hair" - Nellie and Girls
Reprise—"Some Enchanted Evening" - Nellie and Emile
"I'm in Love With a Wonderful Guy" - Nellie and Girls
"Younger Than Springtime" - Cable
Reprise "I'm in Love—" - Nellie
"This is How it Feels" - Nellie and Emile

Act II
G.I. Show Music - Nellie and Dancers
"Honey Bun" - Nellie, Dancers and Ensemble
"Happy Talk" - Mary and Liat
"Carefully Taught" - Cable and Emile
"This Nearly Was Mine" - Emile
Reprise—"Some Enchanted Evening" - Nellie
"Dites-Moi" - Nellie, Ngana, Jerome and Emile

Stage Manager - Ken Denton
Hon. Accompanists - Fiona Stewart, A.R.C.M.
Lighting - David Roberts
Property Master - Jack McElroy
Wardrobe Mistress - Edna Porter
Leader of Orchestra - Bert Dudman
Prompter - Irene Roberts
Make-up - Jean Waters