Aug 21, 20245 min read

Review: Oklahoma! In Concert (Theatre Royal Drury Lane)

Review by Daz Gale

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There’s a bright golden show on the meadow as Oklahoma! comes home for two days only. Returning to the legendary Theatre Royal Drury Lane stage where it made its West End premiere in 1947, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the beginning of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s partnership and the premiere of this show (technically 81 years now). With one of the most-loved musicals of all time and one that went on to change the course of musical theatre itself, there are some big cowboy boots to fill with this concert production – would this prove to be a beautiful concert… or just ok?

The first musical written by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Oklahoma! debuted on Broadway in 1943, hitting the West End four years later. It has gone on to be revived countless times in the decades since, last seen in the West End last year with Daniel Fish’s bold, dark and divisive reimagining, affectionately dubbed “Sexy Oklahoma!”. It tells the story of farm girl Laurey who finds herself pursued by both Curly McLain and Jud Fry. As the rivals fight for her affection, love (or something close to it) can be found elsewhere as Ado Annie also has to decide between two men of her own.

Surprisingly, I grew up without much experience of this classic show in my life, save for being aware of the timeless songs that transcended beyond this musical. My first experience seeing the show was in the recent, aforementioned West end revival which didn’t quite resonate with me as I had hoped, so seeing this concert production was like a breath of fresh air. Where the recent run amplified the darkness in the story, this production thankfully brings back the joy. This makes the story easier to follow and brings out all of the richness in the story – still not shying away from the dark nature prevalent in the story, but also bringing more of the light into the mix too. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s writing still holds up to this day with fleshed out characters, evolving relationships and shifting dynamics creating a wealth of material to draw from.

Bill Deamer’s direction beautifully elevates this production of Oklahoma!, taking liberties with what the word “concert” actually entails, as these productions so often do. While not quite fully staged, it goes about as far as it can go with Deamer’s stunning choreography filling the stage with life through eye-catching and joyous routines. Keeping true to the original while putting his own stamp on it, consistently inspired choices ensures each theme in the show is played out to its full potential as darkness and light mix together to create one of the all-time greats. One highlight is the feel-good ‘Kansas City’ with an incredible ensemble bringing a big number to life using Deamer’s expert choreography.

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic songbook is beautifully realised by the London Musical Theatre Orchestra, stunningly bringing these orchestrations to the stage with grandeur. Conducted by Ben Glassberg and accompanied by the wonderful London Musical Theatre Chorus, classic numbers including ‘People Will Say We’re In Love’ and the much-loved title number ‘Oklahoma!’ sound as good as ever in this concert staging. Rebecca Brower’s set and costume design brings a satisfying familiarity to the affair with a beautiful use of lighting designed by Tim Deiling, bathing the stage in its own golden haze as a makeshift sun rose and set in the background.

As is the standard with these one-off concerts, a dream cast has been assembled to perform the roles with no shortage of talent in sight. Zizi Strallen demonstrates what a fantastic talent she is once again in her turn as Laurey, showcasing stunning vocals and channelling the intricacies of her character from her confidence to a nervousness as events transpire. While Ted Lasso star Phil Dunster gives a charming performance as Curly McLain and is a fantastic leading man in terms of his acting, his singing does pale in comparison to his co-stars with a vocal that is too often too quiet meaning he sometimes gets lost among the others, especially when going toe to toe with Strallen. He has a perfectly pleasant voice as showcased in an understated ‘Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’ but lacks the power and vocal range needed to elevate his performance so his singing is as consistent as his acting.

Christina Bianco is a standout as the larger-than-life Ado Annie, delivering an exuberantly over the top and incredibly memorable performance of the character. Her big musical number ‘I Cain’t Say No’ is every bit as sensational as you would hope, with Bianco potentially better than ever before as she sinks her teeth into every aspect of the role. It is her chemistry with her two suitors Will Parker (Jordan Shaw) and Ali Hakim (Irvine Iqbal) that threatens to steal focus from the primary love story between Curly and Laurey, with Shaw delighting as the sweet but naïve Will Parker. Irvine Iqbal is exceptional in his role with an infectiously fun interpretation of Ali that effortlessly finds the funny at every opportunity. Whether he is downplaying events or doing all he can to get out of his relationship with Ado Annie, he is consistently a joy to watch.

Joanna Riding makes a brilliant Aunt Eller with her timing and talents creating a consistently scene-stealing performance that places her in the centre of the action, even when it is the other characters at the forefront, with her moments in big standout musical number ‘The Farmer And The Cowman’ a peak in her portrayal. Another highlight among the consistently exceptional cast is Tosh Wanogho-Maud as Jud. Having been blown away by his performances in other shows over the past few years, Tosh shows a different side to himself here and his impressive versatility as an actor. As Jud, he taps into the dark and complicated nature of the character while demonstrating the battles he faces inside. Stealing focus every time he walks on stage and showing a commanding presence throughout, he thrills at every turn in a difficult role he manages to find new depths to.

Watching Oklahoma! in its original West End home felt incredibly special. While the world is very different now than it was when it first opened in 1947, one consistency is in how this fantastic and influential musical resonates with an audience. Where I hadn’t personally connected to the story on my first in-person experience with the show, that was not a problem this time around. In a production that doesn’t shy away from bringing the joy of the show and the memories multiple generations associate with them, this was a fitting production of an absolute classic with a dream cast shining. Leaving me longing to see this show return to the West End for a longer stint, oh what a beautiful production this concert really was.