South Pacific   Chairman's Chat The Story Cast Crew

Chairman's Chat...
by Ray Fisher

Welcome to South Pacific . As I am sure you know this year is HAODS’ 50th year of theatre in Horsham. We are celebrating our half century with this show, a Gala Dinner in June and My Fair Lady in November. I wonder if those founder members back in the early fifties were aware of what they were starting!

Again you will see a number of new faces on the stage in this show and I am pleased to say that our membership is still growing steadily. If you would like to be involved with HAODS in some way or other, membership is currently only £10 per year! Have a look at our website www.haods.co.uk or ring Howard Collis, our Membership Secretary, on 01403 241240. I am sure you would enjoy being part of our happy group.

As you watch the show you will be very aware of the people on stage and of the Orchestra. However, they are only the tip of the iceberg! Surprisingly, approximately 160 people have been involved in the creation of this show – what a team! – my thanks go to all of them. As usual, our Wardrobe and Props teams have made most of the costumes and props for this show; we are very lucky to have so many talented members working away – unseen and often un-thanked!

HAODS are also very lucky to have such a superb rehearsal facility at HAODS House in the Broadbridge heath Sports Centre; without this building it would be very difficult to produce these big shows.

Please sit back and let us entertain you!

The Story...

Based on james A Michener’s Pulitzer prize winning Tales of the South Pacific, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical is a heady mix of wartime love story and cultural tension. Ensign Nellie Forbush is stationed on an island in the South Pacific, as part of the support team to the US Navy during America’s struggle against the Japanese in World War II.

Nellie meets, and falls in love with, Emile de Becque, a French planter who left France under a cloud and has made the island his home. Nellie struggles to come to terms with the fact that Emile has two children by a Polynesian woman. Can her love for Emile break down the racial and cultural barriers ingrained in her?

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Joseph Cable, of the US Marines, meets Liat, a young Polynesian girl, and on the “special island" of Bali Ha’i, falls in love with her. But he, too, has been brought up to mistrust people whose skin is not the same colour as his own, and though cajoled and persuaded by Liat’s mother, Bloody Mary, Joe knows he can never marry Liat.

With enemy forces drawing ever nearer to the island, Emile and Joe volunteer for a dangerous mission to gain intelligence on the progress of the Japanese forces. When Nellie realises Emile is part of the assignment, she realises that her love for him is the most important part of her life – if only Emile will come back, so she can tell him..

Cast

Principals — In Order of Appearance

Crew

Production Team

Stage Crew

Properties Crew

Green Room Steward

Carrie Collis