MALVERN theatre goers can shake off those winter blues when Malvern Light Opera Society puts on South Pacific this month.

Set on a pacific island during the second world war with show stopping tunes such as Some Enchanted Evening, Nothing like a Dame, Bali Hai and Gonna Wash That Man, South Pacific is considered one of the best musicals of all time.

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning short stories of James Michener, the musical (with music and lyrics by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein respectively) also scooped a Pulitzer Prize.

It stars a group of restless Navy sailors who are lamenting the absence of women, and the lack of combat - when Marine Lieutenant Cable arrives on the sun-drenched island for a dangerous spy mission that might help turn the tide of the war against the Japanese.

There is also Lieutenant Cable's love interest Liat, and American nurse, Nellie, who falls in love with French plantation owner Emile de Becque, but each relationship looks doomed to fail when race becomes an issue.

Iain Sherriff, MLOS chairman, said: "As a production, South Pacific has every emotion - joy, sadness, anger, romance, fun and laughter. It's the perfect antidote to our cold wet winter."

MLOS is one of the country's leading amateur dramatic societies, and South Pacific has a cast of 45 local performers.

"We are aware of the high standard we need to appear on stage at one of the country's foremost regional theatres and of the standard MLOS's audience has come to expect, so we always continue to polish every last detail until the first night," said Mr Sherriff.

"For our audience this means we will always put on the best show we can, and those who have seen a MLOS show before know how good our best is."

South Pacific runs from Tuesday, March 13 until Saturday, March 17.

Tickets are priced between £12.50 and £14.50, (children £7) available on 01684 892277.