CAROUSEL is based on a Hungarian play, Liliom, by Ferenc Molnar; performed in London in 1926 with, of all people, Ivor Novello in the leading role.

Carousel was the second in the Rodgers and Hammerstein canon of musical plays and opened on April 19, 1945.

Although it did not have the same phenomenal run as Oklahoma (two years as against the latter’s five) it was, Richard Rodgers wrote in his autobiography Musical Stages, his favourite of all his musicals – “Oscar never wrote more meaningful or more moving lyrics and, to me, my score is more satisfying than any I‘ve ever written”.

Despite that, when originally approached by the Theatre Guild (the producers of Oklahoma) to turn Liliom into a musical they refused, as it seemed a totally impossible task… The play was set in Budapest, it was a fantasy which they felt was a bad basis for a musical and it had an unhappy and bitter ending. Moreover, Molnar had already turned down both Puccini’s and George Gershwin’s request to set the play to music.

The Theatre Guild persisted and when it was suggested that the locale be changed to New England and they heard that Molnar had agreed to their musicalisation of the play they capitulated and set to work.

Hammerstein followed the play fairly closely, retaining the name “Julie” for the heroine and taking ideas for some of the songs from Molnar’s dialogue; he changed the ending to a more up-beat one which, surprisingly, Molnar approved; which was, as Rodgers noted, “better than a rave notice”.

The plot of the musical concerns the love of the mill girl, Julie, for a fairground barker, Billy Bigelow; they marry and although Billy ill treats her, she refuses to leave him. When she becomes pregnant, Billy is persuaded to join in a robbery during which he commits suicide.

Julie and her daughter eke out a meagre living and Billy is allowed one visit to earth to help them which doesn’t work out. There is a sub-plot concerning Carrie, Julie’s friend who marries an upwardly mobile fisherman.

Rodgers embellished this rather bleak plot with some of his most tuneful music, including the Carousel Waltz, If I Loved You and the footballers’ favourite You’ll Never Walk Alone. The lightening process is helped by Hammerstein’s inclusion of festive and choral events such as a clambake (utilising a tune for another such festive occasion cut from Oklahoma) and a paean to the month of June.

Chichester have assembled a superb singing cast for their revival which Angus Jackson has fashioned into an equally superb production.

The fact that the cast can act as well as sing does help but nonetheless Mr Jackson has created a first rate representation of the work. The second act, which can degenerate into a sea of mawkishness, was embellished by Roy Dotrice’s kindly but slightly astringent starmaker, re-enforced by Norman Bowman’s very credible and sincere performance as the repentant Billy Bigelow.

Norman Bowman, who played the raffish Bigelow, is a musical personality of the first magnitude; he is personable, can act and by golly can he sing. His acting and singing skills came together in the finest performance of the soliloquy that I have seen or heard. If for no other reason, one should journey to Chichester to catch that.

But there are other reasons; a very fine Julie in Harriet Shore who balances with perfection the charm and steel of her character and has a really delightful singing voice as a bonus.

How marvellous it is to hear melodious singing once again. She is well matched by Lydia Griffith’s Carrie who is a pert, amusing and delightful soubrette, also with an admirable voice which she uses to its best advantage. The duet When The Children Are Asleep between her and Robert Irons’ well polished performance as Enoch Snow was one of the highlights of the evening.

And many highlights there were – with Jaqui Dubois’ cousin, Nettie, bringing fresh meaning and vigour to You’ll Never Walk Alone, not to mention her rumbustious rendering of June Is Busting Out All Over and Clambake; Adam Crasdell’s delightfully evil Jigger bringing the house down with Blow High, Blow Low to mention but a few – the whole show is a bundle of delights.

Another of these delights is Robert Innes Hopkins’ innovative and attractive scenery. I will long remember the coup de theatre by which he manages to dismantle and remove the very realistic carousel in the first scene, clearing the stage for the subsequent action and yet making a beautiful effect with the scene change.

I do, however, have one reservation – the dancing; although beautifully executed, for me it was the style I had hoped had been buried by Bob Fosse and Susan Stroman.

Here was the fey, over extended leaps, bounds and toss your partner over your shoulder style that originated with Agnes De Mille which one believed had been long forgotten.

I see from the programme that she is credited with the original dances and therefore the obtrusive ballet scenes may have been meant as a tribute to her. If so, they didn’t work in the robust taut framework of Mr Jackson’s concept of the piece. Whilst they didn’t spoil the show for me (the rest was so good, nothing could have done that), I felt they were out of date and out of place and should have been severely curtailed.

Having got that off my chest, I can whole heartedly recommend this Carousel as one of the best productions of the musical I have seen.

I feel Rodgers and Hammerstein, who were very jealous of their work, would have endorsed it with glee as it proves that however old a musical may be, with a fresh look at the script and a first rate cast and production there is life in the old war horses yet!

This second production proves the same about the life in this year’s Chichester Festival season – it sparkles!

Carousel – Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein.
Music by – Richard Rodgers.
Directed by Angus Jackson.
Designer – Robert Innes Hopkins.
Choreographer – Javier De Frutos.
Lighting – Neil Austin.
Sound – Matt McKenzie.
Musical Director – Robert Scott.

Chichester Festival Theatre, Oaklands Park, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 6AP.
June 5 – September 1, 2006.
Evenings: 7.30pm/Mat. Weds or Thurs. & Sat: 2pm
Box Office: 01234 781312

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