Oklahoma!
12 May 2022
Young Vic
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
For Oklahoma!, I tried out the lucky dip tickets at the Young Vic. I had seen how they worked at a previous visit and decided to try the system for myself. Basically, you buy a very cheap £10 ticket, and then show up to the theatre with no idea where you’ll be seated. Just before the show starts, the empty spaces are filled up with lucky dip ticket holders. So you could end up in one of the best seats in the house, or with a standing seat at the back. Either way, you get to see a brilliant show for a very low price.
I was lucky enough to be given a second row seat for this performance of Oklahoma!, and what a show it is. Of course, being set in 1906, it’s definitely on the more antiquated side and does have a few problematic bits in it. With that in mind, the show revolves around the young woman Laurey, and her two suitors. Strapping young Curly, a popular cowboy with big dreams, and the odd loner and farm hand Jud. Laurey knows she prefers Curly, but doesn’t want him to know because he’s too cocky and self-assured, so she accepts when Jud asks to take her to the big dance,
Of course there’s a lot of drama and outdated misogynistic concepts going on here, but this is somewhat muted by the brilliant stage presence of Anoushka Lucas as Laurey, and Arthur Darvill as Curly.
This show had me a bit torn, as the vocal displays and general feel of the musical were absolutely brilliant, but the content and plot were very outdated and not really my thing. Still, I very much enjoyed the evening, and if you can look past the outdated content, it’s a fantastic show with stunning voices and a very oldtimey America feel to it.