Carmen by Opera North

Since Bizet first composed his legendary opera Carmen back in 1874 there have been countless performances, re-imaginings, movies, books and plays; this new production by Opera North is a very worthy addition to that list and one which will live long in the memory.

This current version, gives the traditionally Spanish drama a uniquely modern set of sensibilities centred not in Seville as the original, but on the French/Spanish border.  Carmen ( Chrystal E. Williams) is a burlesque dancer in a somewhat seedy nightclub; entertaining the soldiers and toreadors alike while trying to bring up her daughter safe from the hate and corruption war brings.  Drug use and smuggling takes place openly in the bar, alcohol flows freely and the characters are gregarious and brash.  Carmen is the dancer, the leader of the showgirls, the main attraction, but we are left in no doubt that first and foremost to her, she is a mother, a single mother.  This plays beautifully against pregnant Micaela (Alison Langer) who believes that she must have a husband and her unborn child a father, save that she will suffer the shame from her family and home village.  Sadly for her, the man in question, soldier Don Jose (Satriya Krisna) has become besotted with Carmen and so begins the one of many manage a trois.

Don Jose is stationed in the garrison, enjoying the soldier life freedoms and male camaraderie.  He does not want a ‘reminder from home’ and shuns the demands to do the right thing by Micaela.  Ribbed by his soldier friends and tempted by the life of drink, drugs and loose women, he is constantly torn.

Playing out behind this love triangle is the fated superstar toreador Escamillo (Phillip Rhodes) – an 18^th century Elvis Presley who, complete with his followers and cheer leaders, performs his bull fighting in a bid to woo Carmen.  It is not clear if his intentions to Carmen are driven by love, lust or simply to add another conquest but what he manages to do is inflame Jose’s passions and the two rivals fight, spurred on by the baying crowd and overseen by Carmen.  Jose cannot accept that Carmen does not love him, especially as he has now estranged himself from Micaela and when Carmen finally sides with Escamillo, Jose sees that there is no other way to rid himself of his jealous anguish but to kill her.

Under conductor Antony Hermus,  Bizet’s operatic storytelling is given full throttle; high drama, passionate characters, dark comedy and a deep reflection on the human condition, the audience is gripped from the moment the opening overture begins.  Sure, there are plenty of well known ‘songs’ in this opera, indeed many have found their way into popular culture, tv ads and even football chants, however it is only when observed as a whole performance can you truly appreciate the character portrayals and wonderfully absorbing storytelling.

This production is Opera North at its very finest – they make classic opera so accessible for the modern audience; exciting, enthralling, energetic and totally engaging.  Traditional opera fans will love this version, new ones will wonder why they have not been to see their work sooner.

Catch Me if You Can

What to do when you can’t believe your eyes.

Advertising executive Daniel Corban (Patrick Duffy) and his new wife Elizabeth are spending their honeymoon in a remote Catskill mountain lodge.  Only 2 weeks since they tied the knot, it seems an idyllic way to celebrate but clearly something has broken the spell.  We open on Daniel once again phoning the local detective to see if there has been any news of Elizabeth’s disappearance; she stormed out of the lodge after a drunken row over music choices and has not been seen since.  Inspector Levine (Gray O’Brien)  assures Corban that he is doing all he can, but over Labour Day weekend it is not uncommon for people to take off and spend time alone, even if they are recently married.

Corban is unconvinced that this is simply a tiff gone wrong and insists on more attention on his case, attention which Levine can ill-afford, however when Elizabeth suddenly returns (accompanied by Father Kelleher, Ben Nealon) we are left in no doubt that something is strangely amiss.  To Corban, THIS Elizabeth (Linda Purl) is not his wife.  THIS Elizabeth insists she is the same woman who left the lodge a few days ago, she seems to know all the details of their courtship and wedding and even has the keys to their car, but Corban is totally convinced she is an imposter. 

This is only the beginning of a truly baffling train of events in which nothing is as it seems and no-one is as they appear.  As with many stories it is money, passion and greed that sit at the heart of everything, but whose greed is not always clear. 

Duffy is wonderful at spinning between total conviction and wracked with self-doubt, Purl is simply divine as the femme fetale and O’Brien envokes all the 50’s and 60’s film noir detective style.

Written by Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert and Directed by Bob Thomson, Catch Me if You Can Packed is with twists and surprises, cross and double cross; the only thing missing is someone stepping out of a shower and finding it was all a dream.

80s Mania

 The Hippodrome stepped back in time and a full house went wild

 

The 80’s was the age of big hair, big shoulders and even bigger stars, pop was its most diverse with the charts being shared by new age romantics, post punk modernists, sex bombs, heart throbs and a wild and crazy everything in-between.  Before things got too serious in the world, pop music was something everyone could enjoy and share and, by the raucous noise of a full house it is clear that our love for the 80’s is still as strong as ever.

Opening to the sirens of Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s Two Tribes, this was 2 hours of total hedonistic abandonment – every line was sung, every act was cheered and every memory was relived.

 

With 28 chart topping hits performed by brilliant tributes and backed by the Legs and Co dance troupe, this was the best mix tape made real.

Bringing their unique jukebox to the stage, the 80’s Mania team ensured our favourite artists were represented in all their 80’s glory;  Adam Ant, Madonna, Kim Wilde, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Soft Cell, Erasure, Madness, Boy George, Bananarama and many more. 

Sure, they are not trying to imitate, more to emulate but the attention to detail, the costumes, the dancing, the music are all as good as a vivid dream, backed by huge screens that show clips from corresponding music videos.

If you’re a fan of pop music and hark back to the halcyon days when Covid, Brexit, energy prices and invasions were something only your parents would be concerned about then this is most certainly the show for you.  You'll leave with sore feet, a sore throat, maybe a sore head but with massive smiles and songs in your head for days.  80’s Radio 1 DJ Mike Read raved “it’s like Live Aid meets Top of The Pops” and he is spot on.

No better way to spend a Saturday evening, the tour is across the UK and tickets are on sale now– booking and further details

https://www.reuniongroup.co.uk/80smania

Dreamgirls

Ever wondered just how much soul you can pack into a stage show ?  Well wonder no more as Dreamgirls hits all the right notes.

Book and lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger, this story of ambitious wannabee pop superstars The Dreamettes has a very familiar feel and yet, despite all the years it has been on stage (and the 2006 movie),  it still has the power to wow, surprise, shock and delight. 

Set in the early 60’s in Harlem, New York, it tells the tale of three singers – beautiful Deena, sassy Lorrell, and big-voiced Effie – and watches their rise to stardom, through heartbreak and out the other side, while simultaneously following the rise of black music and its challenge to the dominant white music industry. 

This is a tale of transformation: from naive hopefuls into jaded superstars, from raw R&B into the disco era, from success to failure, and then back again. The Dreamettes desperately want their shot at the top and as ambition and raw talent come up against ‘the machine’ it is clear that the industry care as much about if your face fits as whether you have the ability.   Tim Hatley’s sets are constantly on the move, creating a succession of stages, dressing rooms and recording studios. Gregg Barnes’s costumes, covered in a boatload of sequins and in shades of ever startling neon track the movement of time, gown by gown (with some awesome quick changes). And respect to Josh Marquette’s hair design – you can see the wigs getting more expensive with every move up the charts.

On a stage full of great singers, Nicole Dennis’s Effie White stands out above all others, her voice switching from a dagger to a whisper. The first act closes with the barnstorming And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going (a song that in the wrong hands could easily be And I Am Yelling...) and Dennis’s Effie is defiant even as she’s crumbling. Her massive voice rips through the auditorium, the killer line: “You’re gonna love me” addressed first to the man breaking her heart, then direct to the audience. “You’re gonna love me,” she growls again, and it’s not an appeal, it’s an order. And we do.

For some, Dreamgirls will not be their kind of musical - make no bones about it, this is huge, incredibly noisy and with the emotional impact of a wrecking ball coming right at you, but it is performed with such commitment and passion that you can’t help but smile with pleasure throughout.