Thursday 7th November 2013 by Jyoti Kumar
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| Fists fly in From Here To Eternity |
It’s being branded as “Tim Rice’s magnificent new epic musical” which creates a sense of urgency to discover whether or not these words have weight, particularly as Rice is without his partner-in-collaboration, Andrew Lloyd Webber. The duo created stage sensations with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita – three award-winning productions.
Though one wonders whether Webber’s magical touch is really needed here as Tim Rice (lyrics), West End newcomer Stuart Brayson (music) and Bill Oakes (book) have made a favourable exertion at recreating James Jones’s 800-page 1951 novel. Some may also remember the intertwining stories of this Hawaiian-located, war-looming melodrama from the eight-time Academy Award-winning 1953 movie starring Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed and Frank Sinatra – big boots to fill.
The cast of From Here to Eternity showcase some strong acting which is evident from the beginning when we’re introduced to Robert E Lee Prewitt (Robert Lonsdale), a hardened private, champion boxer and skilled bugler who falls for the sultry Lorene, a sex worker. Meanwhile, Sgt Milt Warden (Pop Idol runner-up Darius Campbell) begins an illicit affair with his commanding officer’s wife, Karen (Rebecca Thornhill). Within the first twenty minutes, the two engage in a rather raw and animalistic groping on the kitchen table – but their rushed romance is forgivable.
Then there’s the American-Italian swaggering private, Angelo Maggio (Ryan Sampson) who makes money by performing sexual favours at a gay club before ending up in the punishment stockade for an ill-fated turn of events. His witty lines breathe life into the play, and his rendition of “I Love the Army” is performed with a transcendental fervour.
The show on the whole has strong vocals reigning throughout and there is a broad spectrum of musical forms from military chorales and Hawaii hula ensembles to soulful blue solos, romantic melodies and double-duets. The title number “From Here to Eternity” may fail to wow as it passes by like a breeze but it’s certainly not missed among thundering numbers such as “G Company Blues”, “Run Along Joe”, “Thirty Year Man” and “Fight the Fight.”
Fortunately, the show’s memorable music is accompanied by admirable movement and dance. Javier de Frutos's creative choreography cleverly captures the male brassiness and testosterone-driven energies with jolting manoeuvres, inventive routines and slow-mo punches. The actors utilise the stage space well and thanks to Tamara Harvey’s production and Soutra Gilmour’s design, the show does fairly well to portray an atmospheric realism against a backdrop of proscenium arches.
The historic attack by Japan towards the end is particularly captivating and skilfully executed. It may fail to suffice the over-ambitious as the show sees crashing waves projected on screens and planes arriving only on celluloid, but for most theatre-goers, there’s much to impress here. The strong acting, vintage costumes, funny dialogues, raunchiness and romance and lively music make it a commendable piece of work. Of course, the only way to know if you like it is to see it yourself but I, for one, think it has strength, muscle and fight.