A Lavish Stage Set for Drama
A grand rococo couch takes center stage, surrounded by masterpieces from Picasso to Velázquez, and impressionist works, all under a banner celebrating the “boss’s” birthday. The scene fills with guests emerging from a continuously buzzing elevator, adorned in vibrant, Disney princess-like gowns, towering hairstyles, sharp three-piece suits, and classic pork pie hats. Outside the window, the cityscape is marked by towering skyscrapers.
Reimagining The Merry Widow
John Savournin, transitioning from singer to director, presents his latest endeavor at Opera Holland Park, in collaboration with Scottish Opera and D’Oyly Carte Opera. This new take on Franz Lehár’s beloved operetta “The Merry Widow” transports the story from its fictional settings of Pontevedro and Le Gai Paris to the gritty underbelly of New York’s mafia and its Sicilian roots. The narrative now revolves around a Manhattan mafia godfather and Hanna Glawari, the widow of a Sicilian lemon-tree mobster.
A Dynamic and Humorous Adaptation
In this lively English adaptation, Savournin and David Eaton inject a playful mix of exaggerated Italian reminiscent of a Dolmio commercial, no less genuine than Lehár’s original Eastern European fantasy setting. The mafia characters frequently dip into a cache of classic TV gangster expressions like “Bada bing, bada boom,” “schmuck,” and “capeesh?” as readily as they reach for their weapons. The dialogue is predominantly in an over-the-top mafioso style (“family comes first, boss!”), with a slight mix of operatic Received Pronunciation. While the singing is predominantly excellent, the spoken parts tend towards the loud and exaggerated, with the orchestra often taking precedence during the musical numbers, placing even more demands on the vocalists performing in a challenging acoustic environment.
A Feast of Theatrical Extravagance
The production brims with over-the-top melodrama which might be too much for some, but for those who enjoy a hefty dose of vibrant kitsch and playful national stereotyping, this version of “The Merry Widow” is a delight. Audiences are drawn in by the prominent tunes and entertained further by a humorously stern “Russian” folk dance performed in dark sunglasses, stagehands dressed in formal white tie, mobile lemon trees, and a bizarre “birthday cement mixer.” The set, designed by takis, cleverly transitions from a villa adorned with cypresses to the plush, red interiors of Maxim’s, now reimagined as a “respectable performance bar” in New York.
Henry Waddington shines as “Don” Zeta, fully embracing his comedic role with impeccable timing; Rhian Lois dazzles as his wife, Valentina, with her lively stage presence. Matthew Kellett stands out with his authentic Little Italy accent, while Christopher Nairne and Connor James Smith form a charismatic duo as feuding Italians, with Amy J Payne and Matthew Siveter adding to the dynamics as another fiery “Russian” pair. However, the heart of the performance lies in the nuanced portrayals by Alex Otterburn as Danilo and Paula Sides as Hanna, whose moments of suavity and tenderness elevate the show beyond its comedic elements.
Similar Posts:
- Pimpinone Review Unveiled: A Riveting Performance at Linbury, London!
- Black Blues Brothers Electrify Edinburgh: Unforgettable Performance at McEwan Hall!
- The Great Gatsby Musical Unveiled: See Stunning Photos from the Show!
- Soprano Ausrine Stundyte Masters Trauma in Opera: How She Plays a 300-Year-Old Woman
- Rebecca F. Kuang Calls “A Tale of Two Cities” Delightfully Campy: Here’s Why She Adores It
Fatima Clarke is a seasoned health reporter who bridges medical science with human stories. She writes with compassion, precision, and a drive to inform.
