Arts News

U.K tour of South Pacific opens today

By Amy Somensky Aug 24, 2007, 0:36 GMT

A new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific lauches an extensive U.K tour today at the Grand Theatre in Blackpool. The production stars Dave Willetts and Helena Blackman.

Helena plays Nellie Forbush, a naïve Navy nurse from Little Rock, Arkansas, who falls in love with middle-aged French plantation owner, Emile de Becque (Dave Willetts), during her wartime posting to a Pacific island. However, she soon discovers secrets in his past that she finds difficult to come to terms with. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Joe Cable is caught in a similar dilemma as he grows increasingly fond of Liat, daughter of the Asian peddler Bloody Mary. Only time will tell how these two enchantingly heartfelt love stories unfold. The musical features such classic songs as "Some Enchanted Evening", "Younger Than Springtime", "There is Nothing Like a Dame", "Bali Ha'i", and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair".

Opening at the Grand Theatre in Blackpool, the South Pacific tour then continues to Hull, Stoke, Manchester, Edinburgh, Oxford, Wimbledon, Swansea, Birmingham, Sunderland, Nottingham, and Londonderry in 2007 followed by Woking, Sheffield, Milton Keynes, Belfast, Dartford, York, Glasgow, Liverpool, Wolverhampton, Southampton, Cambridge, Bristol, Brighton, Torquay, Darlington, Rhyl, Bradford, Norwich, Derby, Malvern, and Southend in 2008.

Produced by Peter Frosdick and Martin Dodd for UK Productions, South Pacific is directed by Julian Woolford, with choreography by Chris Hocking and musical supervision by Gareth Williams. Set design is by Charles Camm, with costumes by Elizabeth Dennis, lighting design by David Howe, and sound design by Ross Portway and Jon Higson.

A complete list of the 2007 stops are as follows:

Blackpool Grand Theatre
Fri 24 Aug - Sat 8 Sept

Hull New Theatre
Mon 10 - Sat 15 Sept

Stoke Regent Theatre
Mon 17 - Sat 22 Sept

Manchester Opera House
Tue 25 - Sat 29 Sept

Edinburgh Playhouse
Tue 2 - Sat 6 Oct

Oxford New Theatre
Tue 9 - Sat 13 Oct

New Wimbledon Theatre
Mon 15 - Sat 20 Oct

Swansea Grand Theatre
Tue 23 - Sat 27 Oct

Birmingham Alexandra Theatre
Tue 30 Oct -  Sat 3 Nov

Sunderland Empire
Tue 6 - Sat 10 Nov

Nottingham Theatre Royal
Mon 12 - Sat 17 Nov

Londonderry Millennium Forum
Tue 20 - Sat 24 Nov