Oklahoma! at the Wyndham's Theatre

I managed to see Oklhama! at the Wyndham's Theatre just before the show closed. This is a show that I did not research before attending, as I did not think that this show would pose a risk to me in any way. However, as soon as I entered the theatre I saw a list of warnings that caused me some stress. After speaking to a member of the Front of House team I discovered that had I booked through the theatre directly I would have seen these warnings before booking, however, since I booked through a third party I did not receive any warning. Furthermore, I felt no concern regarding this show as I knew that it was available to book through Kid's Week and it was highlighted to me by a supervisor that this had actually caused many issues as some of the content of the show may prove challenging for younger audience members.

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*

My Review:

This interpretation of Oklahoma meant that moments of the show proved to be quite challenging for me. Overall I did enjoy the show, however, moments mean that I would be unlikely to return to this show. My not-wanting to return is in no way a reflection of this cast as the cast themselves were phenomenoal and the strong emotions that I felt during the show are a testament to the talent of the cast as they were able to create an immersive and powerful experience throughout all of the theatre and I certainly felt the intense atmosphere from my seat in the Royal Circle so I could only imagine how tense the atmosphere in the stalls must have felt.

The opening of the show set a tone for how talented this cast was going to be and Sam Palladio was just perfect as Curly McLain from the moment he began the show by singing Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'. As someone who did not know much about Oklahoma! before watching this show I found it very helpful that each character was introduced one by one throughout the opening as each sang their own section which made the casting clear. The entire cast was dynamic as even if they weren't singing and were towards the back of the stage they were going all out in their acting and this made the show all the more engaging to watch, no matter where you looked on the stage there was always something different to watch. Anoushka Lucas as Laurey Williams was a joy to watch and her expressiveness during the darkened or completely blacked-out moments of the show was a large part of the reason why I found the show so immersive. George Maddison was hilarious as Will Parker, his rendition of Kansas City was amazing and any scene between him and Ado Annie, played by Paige Peddie was funny and warm. Furthermore, Paige Peddie was the perfect casting for Ado Annie, especially her ability to make her expressions completely clear even to the back of the Royal Circle. The delivery of her lines and when she sang I Cain't Say No was the perfect mix of comedy and talent that portrayed the naivety of Ado Annie and felt very accurate as the audience watched Ado Annie struggle to decide between Will Parker who clearly loved her and Ali Hakim, played by Finlay Paul, who's clear lack of enthusiasm seemed to be obvious to everyone except Ado Annie. Patrick Vaill was phenomenal as Jud Fry and it was clear to see why he was broughout over to the West End cast from the Broadway Cast. His ability to impact me emotionally in the Royal Circle is testemanet to his fabulous acting and his voice is just as amazing throughout the show.

Every moment of the show was dynamic and the attention to detail in the set and by all actors made the show even better. The dance scene at the start of Act 2 does feel slightly long but is made enjoyable and impressive due to the sheer talent of Anna-Maria De Freitas. Also, I can't not mention the moment when George Maddison tried to rest one foot on top of the other whilst sitting down however, he unfortunately slipped which resulted in him and the rest of the cast breaking on stage whilst the audience died of laughter with them. Despite this moment being an accident it somehow fits George's portrayal of Will Parker perfectly.

This show does not shy away from the fact that is a darker interpretation and they are open that it is challenging. I spoke to the actor for Curly McLain, Sam Palladio, at stage door and he explained that even the actors find the show challenging week by week. I do acknowledge that the fact that this show was so immersive and impacted me so much is a testament to the talent of all the actors. The set also compliments the show perfectly as it is a simple plywood set with a long table in the middle and guns across every wall. The set is subtle enough that it adds to the show without becoming distracted and all aspects such as the table and chairs are utilised amazingly by all cast members.

The use of the house lights throughout gave more impact to the blackouts which heightened the senses making you listen more intently to the dialogue between the actors. Use of live camera feeds during the show drew you in with an intensity that was uncomfortable as an audience member, this was evidently the intention of the production team and was well executed and balanced against the lighter sequences in the show.

Content Warnings:

As soon as you enter the theatre the stand in which the programmes are sold has a clearly displayed and visible content warning sign and these are positioned around the foyer and in various places throughout the theatre. After speaking to a member of the Front of House team I discovered that if you book through the theatre's website you see the warning before booking, however, I booked through Official London Theatre and did not see this warning. Also, the staff said that the decision to put this show on Kids Week was wrong and I wholly agree as this show definitely caters towards a more mature audience and scenes, especially the blackouts could be really challenging for younger audience members. The trigger warnings were as follows:

Please note there will be extended blackouts in both acts
Haze
Smoke
Gunshots
Blackouts
Flashing Images
References of Suicide
Scenes of a Sexual Nature

After seeing these warnings I spoke to a member of the Front of House team and was offered to have either someone talk me through the scenes and when they would come or have someone remove me before the scenes occurred. Initially, I declined as my view was it was on Kids Week how bad can it be and thought the pre-emption would stress me out as I would watch the whole show waiting for specific cues. However during the interval I ended up having a panic attack so went to speak to a Front of House Supervisor and requested this support, which was amazing. He came and spoke to me and the person I was with and explained what he had already told me to the person I was with, due to me knowing I was in no state to retain and understand information. They were able to move us to the end of a row to make it easier for me to leave and had a Front of House Staff Member come and warned me 5 minutes before the second blackout. However, since I had already been told that the second was only 1 minute before any lights came on rather than the one in Act 1 which was 3-5 minutes long without any lighting, I declined the offer to leave and managed to sit through the second blackout as I found the content easier to listen to as well.

As someone whose anxiety stems from a fear of death (thanetophoia) this show was definitely not suitable for me as during the blackout in Act 1, there is dialogue around death and thenPoor Jud is Daid is sung, this scene was unsuitable for me as Curly McLain discusses what Jud's funeral would be like and essentially suggests to Jud that he should do everyone a favour and commit suicide. This scene would be challenging to hear even if I could see the stage but the blackout meant that I felt trapped as I could not see anything and the lack of using other senses causes you to focus on what is being said and this resulted in me sitting through this scene trying to grasp at some semblance of control by covering my eyes and shutting my eyes whilst crying because I simply could not cope but felt trapped as the lack of lighting meant that I could not see an exit and thus felt unable to leave. The stage is partially lit after 3-5 minutes and there were 2 gunshots which were not too loud and you could tell that they would happen. The blackout is amazing for immersion and is unlike anything I have experienced in a theatre before but would be hard for someone who has anxiety or struggles with feeling trapped. After the stage is partially lit and whilst they are singing Poor Jud is Daid there is a cameraman who pushes a camera close to the faces of Jud and Curly throughout and this video is projected on the back of the stage to highlight the emotions and tense situation that the scene is set in to make it all the more immersive

The blackout in Act 2 has decorative lights that turn on after 60 seconds which means whilst you still cannot see the stage there is someone light in the theatre which made me feel less trapped and in turn made this blackout feel less intense. However, during this blackout, there is an implied non-consensual kiss and the possibility of worse based on the dialogue between two of the actors and this could be challenging for some viewers.

Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)

- AnxiousTheatregoer