Scene It: You're doin' more than fine, Oklahoma!

Theatre Scene Cape Town

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Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful voice! That is what we were thinking when we heard Werner Viln sing his first notes as Curly McLain the evening we were treated to Oklahoma at the Artscape Theatre.

When you book to see this production you are definitely getting way more than your money’s worth. With the best seats in the house at less than R250 per person, it is a musical steel!

If is fun, slick and just leaves you in a general feel good mood. If we have to be critical, we would admit that the leading men in this show outshine their lady just a little. The on stage tension between Curly and Jud Fry (Neil Leachman) is palpable from the first scene they share, while although Victoria Harris who plays Laurey has a brilliant voice, the chemistry between Laurey and Curly just does not translate as well as the onstage chemistry that you see between everyone’s favourite odd couple Will Parker (Robert Coutts) and Ado Annie Carnes (Lindsay Wills).

The men’s dancing is so energetic and precise you wish you could join in on the hoedown singing the farmer and the cowboy should be friends, while the ballet performances by the ladies in the company are delicate and beautiful. We did sense that the ladies may not have felt too comfortable in their burlesque nightmare scene routine, but they nevertheless pulled it off with great style.

Apart from the amazing voices and witty actors who give their all to thoroughly entertain you with the magic that only a blue print Rodgers and Hammerstein musical can bring to the heart of any die-hard theatre fan, it must be said that the set is just absolutely exquisite!

A special job-well-done must go to Johan Badenhorst for his set design and Juannita Ferriera for her amazing paint work. It is always a treat to see the Artscape Opera stage being used to its full potential.

Book at Computicket and get yourself to the Artscape Theatre before Sunday 3 August and let Aunt Eller and the rest of the cast and crew show you why Ooooook-klahoma is more than ok, it is great! Yeeeow!