Theatre Reviews

The magnificence of doom and gloom

 Operatic productions have a power to penetrate through to the core of even the most phlegmatic individuals. Love it or hate it, I have one or two close friends who would not enter an opera house, it is as art form of high drama with music that can take your breath away. Wagner’s Lohengrin (Royal Opera House), rarely seen in London, is a tale of a wrongly accused murderess and a snow-white saviour who of course weds the damsel in distress who he has just saved. Enter the jealous and nefarious villains, with wicked names to match, Ortrud (quite a sight in an ominous blood-red frock) and Telramund, who poison the unfortunate lass, administered in her ear. Sounds like a recent occurrence in Salisbury.

It actually happens in Brabant, originally a state of the Holy Roman Empire, but David Alden’s superb production, has the look and stench of a contemporary dictatorship, at the helm of which sits a puppet king. Political turmoil and treachery abound and as the temperature rises so Wagner’s stupendous music and orchestration takes us on this emotionally coruscating journey. Maybe because of the composer’s Nazi stigma or perhaps just the magnificence of the sound, either way the score is befitting of the power and omnipotence of any despotic and oppressive regime. Conductor Andris Nelson relishes the challenge and draws out superlative playing by the orchestra and the chorus are equally thrilling in their intensity.

The two sopranos, Jennifer Davis (Elsa) and Christine Goerke (Ortrud), are a joy, each offering texture and clarity that gave me goose bumps. Goerke is a performer who offers an abundance of vocal beauty and beneficence each time she sings, quite an achievement considering the role she has. Adding to the impressive list of top-drawer singing is Klaus Florian Vogt in the eponymous role and an incredibly powerful Kostas Smoriginas as the Herald. Unsurprisingly for a story that regales in impending doom and gloom it is dimly lit but the overriding feeling is one of an operatic production that shines brightly with its brilliance.

Meanwhile Arianna Havana gels with girl power…

Polly Stenham’s Julie (National Theatre), a punchy and very witty update of Strindberg’s Miss Julie, is a thing of pleasure for us and the main protagonists. A couple pleasure each other as the alcohol and cocaine cocktails loosen the zips. Imagine City boys grabbing their balls in the company of glam media women and you’ll get the picture. Vanessa Kirby is great as Julie, a confused young woman but lacking the wherewithal to do anything meaningful about it but it is Thalissa Teixeira as Brazilian housekeeper Kristina who stood out and even brought tears to my eyes.

This is a classic tragi-comedy and you must be from Mars if you can’t see that it will end badly. It does an excellent job of looking at mental health and relationships through a lens of class and wealth but as my mother used to say, “in the end we are all going to die”. The lesson there being think carefully about your actions and the emotional legacy you leave behind. Julie and Jean get too lost in each other’s loins to worry about that. As we approach a slightly unsatisfying ending the lasting impression is that you can take the silver spoon out of the woman but you can’t change her superiority complex which will ultimately leave her in a permanent psychological mess.

And Renia Praxiou wants to dye her hair…

The lyrics of the song go “some girls have all the luck; some girls have all the fun”…if you’re blonde! Though in the case of Legally Blonde (New Wimbledon Theatre) it’s the pinkest show I’ve ever seen, full of fluffy bits, sentimentality running through its peroxide veins and a shameless celebration of Americana, wildly entertaining too. It’s been thrilling crowds on a nationwide tour especially the likes of my “naturally blonde” aunties. It tells the story of a very determined Elle. Determined to follow her boyfriend into Harvard and defy those who think she can’t make it. It’s fun, full of syrupy songs and music, high energy dancing and you warm to Lucie Jones in the title role. But Rita Simons steals the show as salon owner Paulette Bonafonté. Sit back and enjoy the dye.

While Sotira Kyriakides wants more…

A Night at the Musicals (Soho Theatre) featuring Le Gateau Chocolate and Jonny Woo, is a delight from start to finish and is in London to end its award-winning world tour.

The stage set consists of two microphones and a curtain. The performances are so electric that there is no need for anything else. The divine beaded costumes that sway as they sashay around the stage, as well as the wigs, the choreography and physicality of these superior artistes, are all just fabulous. Their homage to show tunes includes The Phantom of the Opera, Chess, Cabaret and many more. Le Gateau Chocolate’s voice is a rich deep bass baritone which fills the venue. Woo’s resonant tenor balances with Le Gateau Chocolate, their duets are delightful and captivating. A great night of entertainment that you will want to see more than once….it will return!

Finally, Uncle J remains to be convinced…

Opera North’s production of Cole Porter’s 1948 musical Kiss Me Kate (London Coliseum) is polished, lots of verve and in parts very funny, adapted as it is from Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. The show within a show is nothing new and is executed well but…whisper it gently my first encounter with Porter’s music was not pleasing. In the eyes and ears of the musical cognoscenti I have probably committed a cardinal sin, but it did little for me. Witty yes but musically I was flummoxed and floundered in the very British sense of humour that delighted a mainly Anglo-Saxon audience. On the plus side the cast are excellent, and the tap-dancing is very impressive. The show looks good on Colin Richmond’s set. For me however, kissed once and maybe now shy.

 

Lohengrin – 020 7304 4000

Julie – 020 7452 3000

Legally Blonde – on tour – www.legallyblondethemusicaltour.com

A Night at the Musicals – 020 7478 0100

Kiss Me Kate – 020 7845 9300

Barney Efthimiou