Lisa Martland 23 September 1999 The Stage

Trevor Nunn faced criticism in 1998 when he revealed that the National Theatre was preparing a production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical Oklahoma!, but the director saw nothing wrong in the organisation staging such a "great dramatic work". However, he could not have known that's it's audience would continue to grow long after the show had closed, thanks to the making of a special stage-to-screen adaptation, being aired on Sky Premier tomorrow.

"There were a lot of raised eyebrows and question marks about why the National Theatre should be doing a "pop" work, a "folksy" work like Oklahoma!", Nunn explains. "I think most people who had that reaction eventually understood that there is something extraordinarily involving and provoking about this revolutionary work of the musical dramatic theatre".

Considering the breadth and quality of British theatre, it is surprising that more productions are not adapted for the small screen, or at least recorded for posterity. The latter process is a regular event in New York, and those who want to study the results can consult the Theater on Film and tape archive at the New York Public Library. In 1993 the Theatre Museum established a similar operation, creating the National Video Archive of Stage Performance, which aims to preserve the best of drama, dance and opera for research and educational use.

However, while the movie of Oklahoma! will be a fine addition to the archives, the piece could also attract a whole new audience in its fresh, more accessible format. Nunn, who directed the film with Chris Hunt, continues : "I have always believed in the importance of getting the most successful work out to a wider audience, but it's essential for the translation from stage to screen to be done right. I am delighted that Sky Premier has understood this and provided producer Richard Price and myself with the opportunity to put our experience in this field to the best possible use."

Nunn, Hunt and Price were all determined that viewers should experience what it was like to sit in the National and watch the show. For three weeks towards the end of 1998, the entire production was transferred from the Olivier to one of the largest sound stages at Shepperton Studios - although the final cut incorporates shots of the Olivier audience and, at certain points, their reactions. The show was due to transfer to the Lyceum in late January, so time was tight for filming (shot on widescreen 35mm), as well as to raise the £3 million budget.

But despite these restraints, Price, whose recent collaborations with Nunn include producing an award-winning Porgy and Bess for the BBC and PBS, is proud of the end product. He was also impressed with Sky's handling of the project : "I was immensely depressed that the BBC didn't want to do it, but I must say I'm very pleased with Sky. I would have had a lot more interference, with budgets and so on."

When Oklahoma! opened on Broadway in March 1943, it is not an exaggeration to say that the show changed the face of American musical theatre with its beautiful integration of libretto and score. In this respect, the National's achievement cannot be underestimated, and the show's acclaimed choreographer Susan Stroman is eager to praise the performances of Maureen Lipman, Hugh Jackman, Josefina Gabrielle, Shuler Hensley, and the whole ensemble. "I think one of the reasons this was filmed is because it was cast so beautifully," she says. "This company is what we refer to in the United States as 'triple threats', they can all sing, act and dance. So that's what they do throughout the whole show."

Director of photography Paul Wheeler even admits that his 14-strong crew of hard-bitten cameramen and electricians were so thrilled with the cast's performance that they spontaneously burst into applause on at least three occasions.

But perhaps the last word should go to composer Richard Rodger's daughter Mary. "There is such truth in this production that I don't want to see another," she has commented. "I want the entire world to see it." With TV exposure and cinema releases in a number of locations, she may get her wish.

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