Lincoln Center’s South Pacific Berths at Barbican???

Having previously gossiped about Howard Panter, joint chief executive of Ambassador Theatre Group, telling the Guardian that he wanted to bring the Lincoln Center’s long-running revival of South Pacific across the Atlantic it seemed only a matter of time before there might be rumblings about its West End berth. We currently hear Bartlett Sher’s production, which won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, might dock at the Barbican prior to a national tour. South Pacific ended its two-year run in the Vivian Beaumont Theater on 22 August 2010. The 1949 Rogers and Hammerstein musical was last seen in the West End in 2001 when it was revived by Trevor Nunn at the National Theatre. That outing won Philip Quast the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Emile de Becque. South Pacific was also toured by UK Productions in 2007.

The New York revival starred Kelli O’Hara as nurse Nellie Forbush and Tony winner Paulo Szot as Emile DeBecque, the French plantation owner who falls for her. Joe Cable was originally played by Matthew Morrison, who is now better known as teacher Will Schuester in Glee. He was replaced later in the run by Andrew Samonsky due to Morrison’s TV schedule. The revival had musical staging by Christopher Gattelli and musical direction by Ted Sperling.