Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! (1999)

When Mary Rodgers, daughter of the composer Richard Rodgers, was reported as saying she never wanted to see another Oklahoma!, it was her way of paying the highest tribute to Trevor Nunn's production at the Royal National Theatre which was subsequently taken into the studio and filmed. The camera follows the playgoers into the auditorium of the Olivier where in their company we watch the show and applaud the numbers as the real thing. Nunn treats Rodgers and Hammerstein's first collaboration with the utmost seriousness, restoring the full text so that it comes across as a drama indebted to Eugene O'Neill. Although Oklahoma! unfolds at a leisurely pace, it is extraordinary how one is drawn into the drama under Nunn's direction.

There's seldom a wish for true locations as the pace picks up and we move into the claustrophobic company of Judd Fry in his riveting encounter with the cowboy Curly. The close-up camera work affords an experience the theatre can't bring and also pays handsome dividends in appreciating Susan Stroman's intricate and lively choreography. Her dancers are a fine team, notably Jimmy Johnston who is outstanding as Will Parker leading the Kansas City ensemble. Hugh Jackman (X-Men) as Curly matches him in vocal prowess and looks, and Shuler Hensley sings the tricky role of Judd Fry very well. It's harder to place Peter Polycarpou's Pedlar, a considerably larger role than in the film version, whose accent strays from London's East End to the plains of Europe. Maureen Lipman, rightly deemed the lynchpin of the musical by Nunn, is a joy to watch as Aunt Eller. Laurey (Josefina Gabrielle) and Ado Annie (Vicki Simon) are good but not special. Aside from an abrupt start to Act Two and the occasional voice off microphone, the production sounds good with a larger orchestra present than in the theatre. An Oklahoma! on an epic scale. --Adrian Edwards Amazon.com

Oklahoma! OK and then some..

Saw the original. As good and even better. Wish this could be done for all the great Broadway shows of the past (and present). March 12, 2008

Absolutely Excellent!

How dumb am I? I thought this was actually done on a stage with a live audience until I got to the extra material and saw how it was put together. Seamless!

I also thought it was true to the original movie script until I was told differently. Brilliant!

My wife and I loved it! It is much better than the original movie (a matter of changing times, tastes, and techniques) and it makes the musical bright and shining as a new penny. Excellent!

Buy this DVD! January 19, 2008

Dissapointing, Forgettable Production

I'm not really sure why this revival of Oklahoma received rave reviews. While this production does return the setting of Oklahoma to the rough territory setting rather than the glossed-over setting of previous productions and the film, I find it an unfavorable change. To me, Laurie does not belong in denim overalls and does not live in a dirty log cabin. In addition to the production design, the translation of this to film is also peculiar. The transitions between scenes and musical numbers on the video is nothing short of awkward. While the audience's laughter or response cannot be heard during scenes of the show, they can be heard applauding after musical numbers. Now this, of course, only adds to the viewing experience, however, the effect is lost as the camera cuts away from the on stage transition to view the applauding audience. Even worse, you see the actors exiting the stage in the foreground of the audience shots. It's as if the audience is being filmed from a point upstage. Not to pick on another aspect of the filming, but the camera often films angles from all over the stage. Instead of viewing the scene as an audience member (as originally staged and intended), the camera will be set by Aunt Eller's rocking chair, or on the porch of the house, or beside the fence. It's completely distracting and unnessecary. Also, the film suffers from lack of laughter. As a result of the scenes being filmed without an audience, the comedic moments in Oklahoma are lost and come across as awkward. I'm a huge fan of Oklahoma, and the removal of laughter made parts of the show drag.

Moving on to the cast. Hugh Jackman and the actor portraying Jud seems to be the only performances worth watching in this production. Laurie looks too old and Aunt Eller isn't very likeable. Aside from this, my biggest complaint is that of Ado Annie and Will Parker. What should be the two most memorable performances of the show are quite easily the worst and most forgetable performances in this production. Ado Annie is just plain boring. She is not a 'character' at all. I'm very curious how the audience responded to her because I know, had I seen the show live, I would have been entirely dissapointed with her performance. The actor playing Will Parker didn't fit the part at all. Not only didn't he look the part, but he didn't act the part either. The usual dynamic duo of this show lacked just about everything in this production. The third member of the Annie, Will relationship, Ali Hakim, is also thoroughly dissapointing. Without audience response, this character is awkward and also not likeable.

I know all I did was complain about this production, but I recently say a production of Oklahoma! in Pittsburgh, and this London version pales in comparison. I don't care how acclaimed this filmed production is, it's definitely my least favorite performance of Oklahoma I've ever seen. I don't mean that I won't ever watch it again. I probably will watch it occasionally, but I do regret purchasing this dvd when I could have borrowed it from the local library for free. While I do love Amazon and want to support the company as much as possible, this is one dvd that you're better off renting than buying. August 15, 2007

Better than the movie version!

This version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic has made my two daughters (age 17 and 8) huge fans of musical theater. The singing and dancing are superb, the story line is easier to follow than the movie, and the ballet scene, which often seems a thorn in the side of this production, flows with the story better than any other version I've ever watched. Hugh Jackman is totally believable as the cowboy Curly, American accent and all. The motivation of the character of Judd is more understandable, and one is almost sympathetic to this man who wants something he can't have, who tries to cover his feelings of inferiority with bluster, anger and eventually violence.
Don't miss the bonus interview on the making of the London Stage Revival and DVD. July 13, 2007

The Brits Show Us How OKLAHOMA! Should be Staged

OKLAHOMA! opened on Broadway in 1943 and became a classic - not only because the Rodgers and Hammerstein score was so strong, but also because Agnes De Mille was brought in to introduce serious choreography to the Broadway stage. For the past 64 years this musical comedy/drama has been on the boards both professionally and in high schools, colleges and community theaters and always meets with audience acclaim. In 1999 Trevor Nunn reshaped the work, added choreography by Susan Stroman, beefed up the orchestrations, and re-staged the old warhorse in London and the result is an entirely fresh look and appreciation for an 'American classic'.

Nunn opens the inner conflicts of the story and emphasizes some of the more minor characters, a move that adds to the dramatic flow of the work. Yet his biggest asset is the presence of Hugh Jackman as Curly, a handsome stage presence who also happens to possess a strong baritone singing voice and is an agile dancer. From the opening bars of 'Oh, what a beautiful morning' he has us in his back pocket. The remainder of the cast is strong, with special kudos to Maureen Lipman as Aunt Eller, a woman of such plainsman power that she holds the story together with ease. Josefina Gabrielle as Laurey is a fine dancer and has a supple if monochromatic voice and brings a different kind of life to her role. And for once the sinister Jud Fry becomes an understandable villain in the fine work by Shuler Hensley.

For those who don't like audible applause from an audience during a show the technique of making the film appear like a live production will disturb. For this viewer seeing the British audience become involved in the response of this musical made it that much more fun. This is a very fine performance and film of an old American treasure. Grady Harp, May 07 May 8, 2007

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