Modern staging breathes new life into classic musical Oklahoma! – review
The New York production of Oklahoma! – which opened pre-pandemic – earned rave reviews, picking up the Tony Award in 2019 for Best Musical Revival.
The show, directed by Daniel Fish, subsequently opened at The Young Vic theatre in 2022, and it’s this version that has now transferred to London’s West End, opening earlier this week at the Wyndham’s Theatre.
It’s a modern staging which breathes new life into this classic musical: with the house lights on full-glare for most of the show and a sparse staging reminiscent of a rehearsed reading, it’s unlike any production you’re likely to have seen of this – or any – show.
There’s a lot to enjoy in this unusual take. In particular we appreciated the music – not only is the band great, but the songs have been re-imagined and they’re all the better for it, with classic tunes sounding fresh and original once more.
