The other night I was lucky enough to get a ticket for oklahoma on broadway. I had heard mixed things, either people sung high praise or condemned it for “not being the story oklahoma.” And it wasn’t. Well not the classic american musical we thought we knew, instead I was treated to fish’s daring adaption that again made me ask myself: was this really the play?
Fish didn’t change a word. Not a word. Nor was any actor eating dirt or making improvised pop culture references. In the gun filled circle in the square theater , I found the first bit of the play frankly to be boring or shall we say “bare for the purpose of being bare.” Until 15 minutes in when I noticed the house lights were still on(across from me was an uncomfortable Timothee Chalamet). I loved this choice and needless to say was a strong and for me, effective Brechtian choice. He then started to play with when he took the house lights down, creating tension in the theater and highlighting certain moments. And then, when Jud and Curly have there first scene, black out, we see a light on the stage and a projection pops up behind the actors. They were using film. This was the point where I took out my Berlin monikers and smiled at fish’s choice. Fish dug Curly and Jud’s relationship deeper with the close up that film affords you. And if this wasn’t berlin enough, they both took out microphones and he blacked out again, this time the lights stayed off and we only heard their voices. Not only did this build tension between the two characters but it also made the audience uncomfortable, like we were listening to something we shouldn’t be. I also thought to myself a broadway audience sitting in the dark for 5 mins, yay!!! Overall the performance continued to draw on technology and cultural symbolism, a highlight being the famous opening ballet of the second act being danced as a modern piece by a black women in bare feet with a shirt reading “dream baby dream.” He even changes the ending, I won’t spoil it, but in my opinion, this was the choice that took most liberty’s, and i’m still thinking about whether it worked.
Overall, Fish didn’t care about audiences comfort or they’re recognition of the story they thought they knew. He mined for what was really happening between these characters in this small town, only used what he needed, and put life onstage.
