Oklahoma! - Young Vic / Wyndham’s

[marob]

I asked about my ticket and was told it’s on the front row of the balcony. Not sure how I feel about that. I’d always rather sit in the front of the stage level but the thought of sitting on those wooden chairs for three hours is putting me off asking for a swap.

[inthenose]

This sounds very "meta", which I think I'd hate.

[BurlyBeaR]

I am quite disappointed that the predicted broadcast seems to have fallen through. I loved the OAT Carousel despite being a bit of a traditionalist and I think this sounds great.

[Phantom of London]

Saw this tonight.

I get that revivals aren’t static and need to be revitalised to breathe new life into the work. If you like your big flashy musicals, well this one isn’t for you.

Oklahoma set the gold standard for Broadway shows, it was where Broadway started, imagine being in the St James Theatre 31/03/1943, that would be like indulging on the finest sweet trolley. I liked this a lot, but not as much as I did on Broadway where the Tony winning Ali Stroker was sensational. What I didn’t like with this was the parred down orchestrations. It is a beyond glorious score that was done tonight by an orchestra of 8 musicians, seven strings and one percussion, god did I miss the piano and brass.

Marissa Wallace does what she normally does best and that is steal the show.

Glad it came over though.

4 stars.

[mikey]

Centre front stalls have a terrible view. About half the show is not viewable due to the orchestra being right in front of you. Really bad for top price seats?!

From what I could see, this was…fine. Its ambitiousness veered into obnoxious. The unconnected interpretive ballet dance opening for Act 2 had me rolling my eyes.

[eatbigsea]

I enjoyed it very much, although I agree it was not as transcendent as in New York. The highlight for me was Marisha Wallace, who was stunning. As I recall (it’s been a while) the indigenous people of Oklahoma played more of a role in the NY production than this one. I understand why they didn’t here, but subtleties were lost. But overall a brilliant reimagining and appropriate, at this particular moment for the US. The likes of Laurey and Ado Annie will have many fewer choices, going forward.

[mrbarnaby]

I’m having flashbacks about that hideous ‘dream ballet’. They lost me completely with that.

[ladidah]

The dream sequence isn't for me in the original Oklahoma - what's this one like?

[danb]

Have given our tickets to my son. I really can’t be bothered.

[frankubelik]

This has to be one of the worst things ever staged despite its' Broadway plaudits. Every scene has been re-examined providing no flow or continuity and the staging means that the piece is constantly performed to only one third of the audience at any given time which is not only alienating but confusing for anyone "new" to the show. The band's placement is mystifying and the lighting is atrocious, there is no sense of place and I could not fathom why the mike stand was constantly used apart from to hide the vocal inadequacies of the cast (aside from Ms Wallace) which are legion. Poor in every respect. Sad to think this could be the future of the classic musical revival. The previous poster who gave his tickets away was very very wise.

[cheri78]

Totally, respectfully, disagree with previous post, this worked, in the main, for me, and I've seen countless productions before. I feel we were being told a story given the uncomfortable way the cast came on set, giving each other shifty looks, which given the way it ends is understandable. Then suddenly Curley jumps up, grabs guitar and OWABM song begins. True, the ballet is bonkers, totally and the 2 overlong blackouts disturbing, but powerful in the 2nd where the relationship between Judd and Laurie is clear. Ms Wallace is a delight but I thought it was a fantastic ensemble piece. I too usually observe lighting, having designed for amateurs, but in this context of a huge barn, the almost static white worked. Agree totally about sightlines and the terrible policy of Young Vic which penalises those who booked before the release of a seating plan. Our seats, B84,85 were not good but I was more invested in this version than many of the "vanilla" productions already seen.

[Rory]

I have a ticket for this but am really thinking of ditching it to see The Corn is Green instead.

[Dr Tom]

Just don't sit downstairs, unless you are at the back on the sides. Many of the other views are horribly restricted.

I nipped back last night as I'd booked a £10 ticket before seating was allocated (then grabbed an extra bargain £5 ticket for first night).

The £10 ticket was at the top level. It's a single row of raised (folding) seats with only a single route in and out, very tight. You sit in the order you arrive as there's just no access otherwise. There's also quite a maze of corridors to get to the seats. Not terrible for the price, but it does get rather warm, especially as this is a long show (still running until 10:40pm).

The positive is that there's a very clear view, apart from having to dodge the railing. You're really not that far back. I got quite lucky as well and ended up quite central.

There were quite a few seats free in the lower levels, but they didn't proactively upgrade anyone. I did hear some people complaining during the interval and they got moved elsewhere. I know people are talking about this transferring to a larger theatre, but I don't know if it will sell that well. With that said, the reviews aren't out yet.

I did feel that this was tightened up a bit and the sound better, although that may, of course, depend on where you're sitting. I have great admiration for anyone who can perform this once or twice a day. I still think there are some ideas that should be rethought for a UK audience, but I appreciate the director will want to stick with the original vision.

Very marmite, but still worth seeing. I'm there again in a few weeks with a lucky dip.

[BurlyBeaR]

Given the amount of advance planning that went into the “infinitely configurable” seating I don’t understand how they’ve apparently made such a hash of it.
As I said before, too much choice is a prison.

[singingbird]

Well, this was right up my street.

I didn't quite know what to expect, but was picturing something very dark. I was surprised, therefore, to walk into what felt like a rehearsal room in a community centre, and even more surprised when it began with the house lights full on, in the flat, bright glare of fierce white light.

I struggled somewhat during the first half with the slight mismatch between the stylised direction and the fairly old-fashioned structure of the show's book. I recognise how revolutionary a musical was at the time, but the revolution it began has now advanced so much further that Oklahoma can now feel very clunky. Normally this isn't a problem, as it is easy to appreciate the show as somewhat of a period piece, but approaching the text in the way they have does highlight some of the very obvious gear changes in the script.

Nevertheless, as it went on, there was just so much to admire, so many brilliant and utterly original staging ideas (none more so than the incredible use of shadows on the back wall) and such fierce intelligence in reinterpreting the text, shifting the emphasis, building the tension and atmosphere to almost unbearable extremes. It built to a pretty shattering conclusion, which was staged impeccably and felt like a punch to the gut.

In particular I adored the orchestrations and the re-imagining of many of the musical themes. The dream ballet especially was stunningly twisted and reshaped from a musical point of view (regardless of your views on what was actually happening on stage), and it was just so refreshing to be able to listen to a theatre score where you could actually relish great musicianship, and which wasn't blanded out by contemporary orchestration tropes.

I'm not sure I totally got all the staging decisions, but it gave me lots to think about and puzzle out, and it was heavy on atmosphere - which are the two things I look for most in any piece of 'entertainment'. It hasn't convinced me entirely that Oklahoma still stands up as a great show, regardless of the fact it once was, but it did remind me what a great creative team can bring to a show.

I also have to say, even though it's hardly a new observation, that Hammerstein's lyrics are breath-taking. They are so elegant, so natural, so effortless in their poetry. It's rare to hear lyrics that never make you wince and it's such a joyful experience.

I was sat one row back behind the band and had no problem seeing anything, although watching the musicians was probably as interesting to me as watching the actors.

[Phantom of London]

On I think I need to give this board’s moderators and admin a gentle and loving nudge to start a poll?

[Being Alive]

I liked a lot of this last night.

If you're not going to do R&H in a big traditional way, this for me is the way to do it. It's a total revolution of the piece and by and large works spectacularly.
Not a single character in this version of Oklahoma is straight though as far as I was concerned - not even Andrew Carnes! (Nothing wrong with this, just an observation)

Cast were all very good - I thought Patrick Vaill was sensational as Jud Fry. Arthur Darvill a lot better than I was expecting, and Marisha Wallace does great work as Ado Annie.

I can't say I was a fan of the dream ballet, because I found it difficult to follow a narrative within it (maybe I was being dim) but that was the only real misfire for me.
The last 15 minutes really are staggeringly good, and I'm not sure I breathed for much of it.

4 stars, I think the reviews will either love or hate it. The man next to me had a horrid time and I was surprised to see him return at the interval.

[Being Alive]

Meant to say I had a lucky dip ticket, arrived at 7pm and was second person in line. Got put in the second row on the left, just in from the aisle (left as looking at the stage).

I think the blocking for this production is really bad, because unless you're one of the 20 people in that centre section, you have a LOT of people's backs to you at all times...

[mrnutz]

Saw a preview of this on Saturday night and I'm really torn on my thoughts about it.

Context - never seen Oklahoma!, didn't know the score other than a few songs, didn't know anything about the story.

My experience on Saturday night left me pretty cold, for a number of reasons.

1. The lighting. The lighting is pretty much either FULLY bright in the whole auditorium, or near total darkness. Seeing the rest of the audience is distracting.

2. The story is paper thin, yet I didn't really know what was going on a lot of the time. I didn't understand why Fry was such an undesirable, or why the ending happened as it did.

3. The seating - I had a supposedly prime stalls seat (booked before seating plan was available!) and I was at the very end of Row C on one of the sides, on the corner near the entrance. Most of my view was of the band as much of the action happened at the other end of the room.

What I enjoyed: -

- The music, and more so after listening to the Broadway recording since.

- The peformances - the cast were all excellent, though not sure why Liza Sadovy left Cabaret for this.

I think this would work best if you're familiar with Oklahoma!, as reading about the story later it all made a bit more sense.

It's a 3/5 from me.

[BurlyBeaR]

May 4, 2022 22:29:47 GMT Phantom of London said:

On I think I need to give this board’s moderators and admin a gentle and loving nudge to start a poll?

Poll added 

[ladidah]

Can't see many reviews of the production yet from the critics, are they not out yet?

[juicy_but_terribly_drab]

May 6, 2022 8:06:37 GMT ladidah said:

Can't see many reviews of the production yet from the critics, are they not out yet?

The Evening Standard's just came out 20 mins ago (4 stars) so I guess more will be coming soon enough.

[ladidah]

What timing! Thank you

[Being Alive]

A genuine question I've always wondered on the star system on some of these threads - have the people who score something one star actually seen the show?

I remember a couple of one stars for cabaret and anything goes, and whilst theatre is subjective, I don't think anyone could accuse those productions of being one star.

Not trying to start an argument - and if mods want to move this to a more suitable thread that's fine by me. I was just genuinely curious!

[shambles]

May 6, 2022 9:33:23 GMT Being Alive said:

A genuine question I've always wondered on the star system on some of these threads - have the people who score something one star actually seen the show?

I remember a couple of one stars for cabaret and anything goes, and whilst theatre is subjective, I don't think anyone could accuse those productions of being one star.

Not trying to start an argument - and if mods want to move this to a more suitable thread that's fine by me. I was just genuinely curious!

I would also like to know! Anything Goes is very beloved on this forum and I don't remember reading any strong negative reaction to it. 

(And critic reviews for this are really slow in the coming aren't they?)