US soldiers stationed at Hawaii during the Second World War, pace the barracks growling like caged tigers due to the lack of anything to occupy them — aside from posturing, banter and press-ups in readiness for a boxing tournament. Soon will come Japan’s calculated surprise attack on Pearl Harbour, but before then, there’s a fair chunk of James Jones’ 1951 story to get through. The burning question, is will audiences be sufficiently engaged by the characters in this musical, to care what happens to them by the time the devastating aerial attack is delivered?The best-selling novel and Fred Zinnemann’s subsequent multi-award winning film version of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (which includes the now legendary beach scene with Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr rolling in the surf), provides rich source-material for any writing team intent on developing a vibrant, machismo-heavy stage musical (think Seven Brides For Seven Brothers but with less plaid and fewer choppers). So why wasn’t the show a West End smash back in 2013?
From memory, the most glaring weakness of the original production (created by the combined talents of Stuart Brayson, Tim Rice and Bill Oakes), was the inconsistent application of a defined and recognisable musical style. Disappointingly, the issue does not appear to have been rectified to any noticeable extent for this first revival and audiences are presented with a mash-up of songs all variously influenced by Military, Musical Theatre, RnB, Country and Rock’n’Roll (a noticeably enjoyable male duet, mirroring Johnnie B Goode). The music simply feels stylistically incoherent, despite the entire company’s best efforts to deliver their sections with bucket-loads of full-throttle macho posturing. The three female characters each get their own songs too, but realistically there isn’t an obvious stand-out number in the entire show - irrespective of the sheer force of effort and energy deployed to deliver this entertainment. To draw favourable comparisons with South Pacific is at best, a massive and unrealistic stretch. At worst, utterly delusional, ill-informed and frankly, dishonest. Both benefited from a Pacific Island location, but that aside, they are as chalk and cheese.
So what’s to like? Well, Cressida Carré has drilled her lads into a finely tuned, disciplined platoon who utilise the square formation of the playing area to good effect for the tightly-packed choreographed set pieces which by necessity, include the many militarily sequenced entrances and exits which keep the cast busy. The designers have considered the odd sight lines and incorporated some neatly projected and effective imagery of the now familiar foaming sea and original newsreel footage of the final kamikaze attacks. Although this is a musical and the cast therefore boasts excellent singing talent, it was noticeable that each of director Brett Smock’s actors appears to have genuinely worked on delivering a fully rounded individual characterisation which is in contrast to many musical productions where the lighter touch often means on-stage performances can be little more than cliché and two-dimensional. The difference here is perhaps reflective of the darker elements touched upon in the original story, which (indicative of the period in which it was both written and is set) noticeably includes deception and the disgrace associated with marital infidelity, institutional bullying, toxic masculinity, prostitution of women, and the wholesale victimisation of gays serving in the military or for being visible in society.
As entertainments go, there’s plenty to enjoy, but don’t expect to be whistling a tune on the way out.
