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South Pacific

a musical play in two acts by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan adapted from 'Tales of the South Pacific' by James Michener. Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Music by Richard Rodgers.

Majestic Theatre, New York, 7 April 1949
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, 1 November 1951
A film version was produced by Twentieth Century-Fox in 1958

Story

Act I

On a South Pacific island during World War II, two little children are playing on the terrace of the home of a rich planter (DITES-MOI). The planter, Emile de Becque, has fallen in love with Nellie Forbush, a young Navy Nurse from Little Rock, Arkansas. Nellie, a self-described country hick with an unremittingly sunny outlook (A COCKEYED OPTIMIST) finds herself drawn to this dark and brooding Frenchman (TWIN SOLILOQUIES), whose romantic and passionate emotions win her over (SOME ENCHANTED EVENING).

Also stationed on the island are a group of restless sailors, seabees and marines who are obviously bored and sorely in need of female companionship (THERE IS NOTHIN' LIKE A DAME). Souvenir collecting is about the only active pastime and has developed into a marketing war between Seabee Luther Billis, who has cornered the market in everything from grass skirts to shrunken heads, and Bloody Mary, the local Tokinese dealer in such trophies.

Lt. Joseph Cable, a handsome young Marine, arrives with an assignment to persuade de Becque, who is familiar with the nearby islands, to accompany him on a dangerous secret mission. They are to hide out on a Japanese-held island, watch for enemy ships and convey this information to their own pilots, to help them attack the Japanese convoys. Nellie's friendship with Emile is known to the Island Commander and she is asked to obtain all the information she can about him.

Meanwhile, Luther Billis' present mission is to get over to the mysterious and forbidden island of Bali Hal - and he convinces LA. Cable to lead a pleasure-seeking expedition there (BALI HA'I). On the island, Bloody Mary introduces Cable to her beautiful daughter, Liat, and the Lieutenant falls in love with her (YOUNGER THAN SPRINGTIME).

Confused about her feelings for Emile, Nellie decides to play it safe by simply deciding I'M GONNA WASH THAT MAN RIGHT OUT-A MY HAIR. But Emile convinces her of his love, (I'M IN LOVE WITH A WONDERFUL GUY); Nellie is in love, and now believes that she and Emile could spend a wonderful lifetime together. Emile introduces her to two sweet native children, the off-spring of a Polynesian woman and a European. Nellie is charmed by the children but then, when Emile says they are his, the prejudices and fear inherent in her small town upbringing rise to the surface and, panicked, she runs from Emile and from their future. 

Act II

Nellie throws herself into her work - as voluntary director and star of the home-grown "Thanksgiving Follies" show. Backstage, Bloody Mary and Liat have come to Cable, to convince him to take this chance for love (HAPPY TALK) but Joe, despite his deep love for Liat, is caught in a similar trap of his own prejudices and, though he loves her, decides he cannot marry her. Emile, who has fought so hard all his life for freedom and fairness, cannot understand how two people such as Nellie and Cable can walk away from a chance for love, prevented by an incomprehensible logic. This logic isn't born in you, Cable explains bitterly; YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFULLY TAUGHT.

Emile sees his dream of paradise fading away (THIS NEARLY WAS MINE). With nothing to lose, both Cable and Emile are feeling the recklessness of lost love, and with that recklessness comes the willingness to take greater risks. They embark on their spy mission to a neighbouring island where, for a few days, the plan works and they are able to transmit messages of Japanese naval manoeuvrings. Eventually they are discovered, however; Cable is killed, and radio contact with Emile is cut off. 

Faced with the sudden realisation that she may have lost Emile, Nellie is able to put her fears and meaningless prejudices into perspective and realises that her love for him and the things he stands for is paramount. She makes her way to his home and is giving lunch to his two children, whom she loves as her own when Emile returns. He is weary, he is battle-worn, but he is alive, reunited with his children, and with Nellie.

Characters

• ENSIGN NELLIE FORBUSH - By her own admission, a cock-eyed optimist and a hick. She never believed that she would have to make the difficult choice about Emile, but the risk of losing him in action brings everything into sharp focus.
• LUTHER BILLIS - A Seabee who rates himself as a great entrepreneur in the tourist souvenir business, but is constantly outsmarted by Bloody Mary. He is everybody's chum and general help-mate.
• LT. JOSEPH CABLE - Very formal and organised at first, he is thrown into confusion by meeting Liat and the high-risk expedition to find the Japanese outpost is the only way of resolving the inner conflict of racial difference into which he has been plunged.
• CAPT. BRACKET - Rather pompous officer, but seemingly in tune with the local circumstances.
• COMDR. HARBISON - His organised back-up.
• EMILE DE BECQUE - A man of stature and dignity, who realises where his great chance of happiness lies and has to be honest about his past, even if he risks losing all. His taking part in the dangerous mission is proof of another sterling side of his nature.
• BLOODY MARY - Tokinese, shrewd and too much in command of the souvenir trade to be threatened by Billis. She is also a manipulative mother when the occasion (called Lt. Cable) - arises.
• LIAT - A touchingly portrayed little girl in an adult world.

Musical Numbers:

1. Overture - Orchestra

2. DUET - La vie est belle - (Ngana and Jerome) - "Dites-moi, pourquoi la vie est belle"
   
3. Underscore
   
4. SONG - A Cockeyed Optimist - (Nellie) - "When the sky is a bright canary yellow"
   
5. Underscore
   
6. DUET - Twin Soliloquies - (Emile and Nellie) - "Wonder how I'd feel"
   
7. Underscore
   
8. Introduction to "Some Enchanted Evening"
   
9. SONG - Some Enchanted Evening - (Emile) - "Some enchanted evening you may see a stranger"
   
10. Encore - "Some Enchanted Evening"
    
11. Finaletto Scene 1 - (Ngana, Jerome and Emile)
    
12. MALE CHORUS - Bloody Mary - "Bloody Mary is the girl I love"
    
13. MALE CHORUS - There Is Nothing Like a Dame" - (Male Chorus & soloists) - "We got sunlight on the sand"
    
14. Underscore
    
15. SONG - Bali Ha'i - (Bloody Mary) - "Mos' people live on a lonely island"
    
16. Reprise - Bali Ha'i - (Cable) - "Bali Ha'i may call you"
    
17. Change of scene
    
18. Change of scene
    
19. SONG - I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair - (Nellie and Seabees) - "I'm gonna wash … "
    
20. Nellie's Encore
    
21. Introduction to "Some Enchanted Evening"
    
22. Reprise - "Some Enchanted Evening" - (Emile and Nellie)
    
23. Introduction to No 24
    
24. SONG - I'm In Love With a Wonderful Guy - (Nellie) - "I expect everyone of my crowd to make fun"
    
25. Encore
    
26. Introduction to scene 9
    
27. Reprise - Bali Ha'i - (Girls)
    
28. SONG - Younger Than Springtime - (Cable) - "I touch your hand and my arms grow strong"
    
29. Reprise - "I'm In Love With a Wonderful Guy"
    
30. DUET - This Is How It Feels - (Nellie and Emile) - "This is how it feels living on a hillside"
    
31. Emile's Encore - "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" - (Nellie and Emile)
    
32. Finale Act I
    
33. Entr'acte
    
34. Opening Act II - G.I. Show Music
    
35. Underscore - Entrance of Liat
    
36. SONG - Happy Talk - (Liat) - "Happy talk, keep talking happy talk"
    
37. Incidental music
    
38. SONG - Honey Bun - (Nellie) - "My doll is as dainty as a sparrow"
    
39. SONG - Carefully Taught - (Cable) - "You've got to be taught to hate and fear"
    
40. Continuation - (Emile) - "I was cheated before"
    
41. SONG - This Nearly Was Mine - (Emile) - "One dream in my heart"
    
42. Underscore
    
43. The take-off
    
44. Underscore - "Communication established"
    
45. Underscore - "Communication discontinued"
    
46. Underscore - "Operation Alligator"
    
47. Underscore
    
48. Finale Ultimo

Instrumentation:

Orchestration by Robert Russell Bennett

Flute db Piccolo; Oboe db Cor Anglais; 2 Clarinets; Bassoon; 2 Horns; 3 Trumpets; 2 Trombones; Tuba; Percussion; Harp; Piano; Strings