South Pacific

THE R & R brings new life to old numbers in often sparkling production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein stalwart at the Gaiety.

Once the chattering classes, finally take to their seats, stop rattling their jewellery and notice the orchestra has started the overture (under the pepped up direction of Gearoid Grant), they are treated to a feast of fine singing.

Brenda Brooks (as Nellie Forbush) and Garry Mountaine (as de Becque, ze Frenchman who loves er) give particularly strong performances and hold the central story line firmly in place.

Aidan Conway (Et Cable) provides the male cheesecake and is personable, melodic and emotional. Evelyn Doyle as Bloody Mary - the wily peddler out to fleece the entire US force - is a commanding state presence; Eamonn Glancy, as her "scab cc" counterpart, Billis, exudes comic charisma.

The navy nurses and the sailors are strong of voice and lithe of movement. The big numbers get big treatment and this is the great strength of Andrew Wickes's direction supported by chorus master, Jackie Curran Olahan, and choreographer Rita Kealy.

Patrick Murray's design flags with de Becque's plantation house (more mock Georian than New Hebrides) and Bali H'ai is represented by two suspended volcanoes which never cease to look like cutouts and thus tend to demystify the erotic compulsion of the island.

But if the various elements do not always quite gel, the music at the heart of the show emerges triumphantly unscathed.