A beloved classic of American musical theatre, Oklahoma! was the first show written by that great duo Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Premiered in 1943, it is a “sunsoaked, barnstorming, hokey tale of beefcake cowpokes and wholesome farm girls”, said Sam Marlowe in the i news site. “Except this time, it isn’t.” In Daniel Fish’s “freshly thrilling” production – a Tony-winning smash in New York – those “limitless blue skies have a habit of turning dark”.
You’re never likely to see a “more thorough rethinking of Rodgers and Hammerstein”, said Sarah Crompton on What’s On Stage. From the moment you walk into the brightly lit performance space that is shared by the cast and audience – a room “knocked together out of blondewood” with guns racked on the walls – this Oklahoma! destabilises and surprises you.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The production’s “genius” is to “locate the toughness at the heart of this story” about a pioneer community, on the verge of gaining its statehood, in formerly Indian territory. Every character, scene and song are treated as if they are newly minted, “revealing their complexities and contradictions”. It’s a superb reassessment that both asserts the musical’s “greatness and casts it in an entirely fresh light. I think it is a masterpiece.”
The production has a serious edge, and in New York, some critics found it pretentious, yet it is far from heavy going, said Dominic Cavendish in The Daily Telegraph. There is “ample playfulness, comedy, and roof-raising showstoppers too”. Reinterpreted for a small band, the music has a homespun folksiness that works “brilliantly”. And the performances are all superb. “Oklahoma, OK” runs a line in the musical’s title song. But this Oklahoma! is far better than that. It’s “KO, knock-out”.
Young Vic, London SE1. Until 25 June
-
How to Get to Heaven from Belfast: a ‘highly entertaining ride’The Week Recommends Mystery-comedy from the creator of Derry Girls should be ‘your new binge-watch’
-
The 8 best TV shows of the 1960sThe standout shows of this decade take viewers from outer space to the Wild West
-
Microdramas are boomingUnder the radar Scroll to watch a whole movie
-
6 exquisite homes with vast acreageFeature Featuring an off-the-grid contemporary home in New Mexico and lakefront farmhouse in Massachusetts
-
Film reviews: ‘Wuthering Heights,’ ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,’ and ‘Sirat’Feature An inconvenient love torments a would-be couple, a gonzo time traveler seeks to save humanity from AI, and a father’s desperate search goes deeply sideways
-
A thrilling foodie city in northern JapanThe Week Recommends The food scene here is ‘unspoilt’ and ‘fun’
-
Tourangelle-style pork with prunes recipeThe Week Recommends This traditional, rustic dish is a French classic
-
Samurai: a ‘blockbuster’ display of Japan’s legendary warriorsThe Week Recommends British Museum show offers a ‘scintillating journey’ through ‘a world of gore, power and artistic beauty’
-
BMW iX3: a ‘revolution’ for the German car brandThe Week Recommends The electric SUV promises a ‘great balance between ride comfort and driving fun’
-
Arcadia: Tom Stoppard’s ‘masterpiece’ makes a ‘triumphant’ returnThe Week Recommends Carrie Cracknell’s revival at the Old Vic ‘grips like a thriller’
-
My Father’s Shadow: a ‘magically nimble’ love letter to LagosThe Week Recommends Akinola Davies Jr’s touching and ‘tender’ tale of two brothers in 1990s Nigeria
