THE Bristol Light Opera Club’s (BLOC) production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s award winning Oklahoma! has lit up the Hippodrome’s stage this week.

The production, which runs until Saturday, November 21, is fun and very enjoyable. The company does a great job in transforming the Bristol theatre into Claremore, Oklahoma at the turn of the last century and brings with it all the classic songs from the hit 1940s musical.

Christopher Burt gives an impressive performance as Curly, which is a demanding role with the responsibility of the opening song Oh, What a Beautiful Morning, as well as three duets. Burt is no Gordon MacRae but he does a sterling job.

The absolute stars of the show have to be Michael Griffiths and Tamar Hankinson, who play Will Parker and Ado Annie respectively, and give fantastic delivery of the happy go-lucky lovers destined to be together.

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! is famous for its dance sequence mid-performance when the character Laurey dreams of her life with Curly, however, BLOC’s choreography for this central moment was nothing spectacular and the dancers’ timing was poor.

However, the opening of the second act with the company’s performance of The Farmer and The Cowmen was fantastic as was their rendition of the title song Oklahoma!

Overall BLOC’s Oklahoma! is a production director, John Cousins, and the entire cast should be proud of.