NI Opera's Salome coming to the Grand Opera House

Northern Ireland Opera returns to the Grand Opera House with a new production of Richard Strauss’ notorious opera Salome.

Based on the play by Oscar Wilde, the opera stars Belfast-born Giselle Allen as the Princess who dances for Herod in return for the most shocking of rewards – the head of John the Baptist. The potent combination of this famous biblical story, the eroticism of Salome’s famous Dance of the Seven Veils, and the bloodthirsty denouement initially caused the opera to be banned, but with its high drama and gloriously romantic score it is now a well-established part of the operatic repertoire.

Oliver Mears’ new production of Salome is designed by Annemarie Woods, with Nicholas Chalmers conducting the Ulster Orchestra. A superb Irish and international cast is led by Giselle Allen, Michael Colvin and Robert Hayward and promises to be one of the most talked-about operas in Northern Ireland for many years.

You can book tickets by clicking here

Read my previous reviews of NI Opera productions:
Noye's Fludde - Click here
Macbeth - Click here
The Flying Dutchman - Click here

Coming Up: Flesh & Blood Women at the Grand Opera House

In what is believed to be the first-ever all-female, home-produced theatre production in the history of Northern Irish theatre, Flesh & Blood Women is about to set the Grand Opera House alight in early May, running from Wednesday 7th – Saturday 24th May.

Green Shoot promise an exhilarating night at the theatre with the production consisting of three hard hitting short plays written by Dawn Purvis, Brenda Murphy and Jo Egan.

Writing for the theatre for the first time, in her play Picking Up Worms, former Progressive Unionist Party leader Dawn Purvis tells a story from the 1970s about a child’s reflection of events on a street in Belfast during the Ulster Worker’s Strike in 1974.

Ballymurphy playwright and writer of the award-winning A Night With George, Brenda Murphy, tells the extraordinary true story of her mother having 11 children, six to a married man who lived around the corner with his own family.  In Two Sore Legs the former Republican prisoner uses her trademark Belfast humour to tell this very personal story, told from her mother’s perspective.

After last year's success as the writer/ director of Crimea Square, voted winner of the Audience Awards at the Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen's, Jo Egan’s play Sweeties will tell the stunning story of two sisters with conflicting memories about a life-changing incident from their childhood. Sweeties is based on Jo’s original oral research with Belfast women.

Flesh & Blood Women is unique in that it is the first production in the history of Northern Irish theatre where everyone involved is a woman. From writers to designers, from producer to director and stage management to marketers – believe it or not – it’s never happened before. In total, nineteen women will be involved at all levels of production.

The company are especially thrilled to have acquired the services of Coronation Street actress and director, Noreen Kershaw. Noreen won a BAFTA for directing the controversial Coronation Street storyline about the rape of Carla Connor. She has also directed episodes of Shameless and Emmerdale.

The all female cast includes Kerri Quinn, Maria Connolly, Rosie McClelland and Kat Regan.

For more information and to book tickets please click here.

@classygenes

Verdi's Macbeth by NI Opera

Given how much I loved The Flying Dutchman I was expecting great things from NI Opera's Macbeth.

It had many virtues which I absolutely loved.

The American Horror Story style witches straight out of a Victorian lunatic asylum were excellent and their movement was suitably creepy to ensure some audience members visibly recoiled when they first came on stage.

A stunning backdrop with a striking image by Alan McMahon which nodded to the iconic visual of Cosette from Les Miserables and which I would quite like on my bedroom wall.

The set was beautiful and though stark and cold for the scenes with the witches, was soon warmed up with banqueting tables, banners and flaming torches for the scenes in Macbeth's castle.  The raked stage worked well to ensure a feeling of claustrophobia, though I felt that this effect was lost a little by the performances.

Lady Macbeth's shelves of shoes made lots of the female audience members jealous but was a well placed reference to her determination to rise to the top and look good doing it. A press photographer taking photos at important moments in the Macbeth's lives pointed to the modern day cult of celebrity and I thought this was a nice touch.

A large curtain with images of the village people who had gone missing was poignant and sad and very much reminded me of the notice boards of missing people which spring up during a natural disaster or civil war.

I loved the gang of hoods with their covered faces and hard man stances. They very much reminded me of Belfast's own spides or indeed Tartans.  

While all these elements by themselves worked well and were striking, I felt that perhaps there were too many styles for the audience to take in.  The darkness of the story and the sense of foreboding which should have been present was not visible as the audience tried to keep up with the varying themes.

I felt that the performers lacked any real belief in the story they were telling and I made little connection with most of the characters with the exception of MacDuff. Andrew Rees has an engaging personal acting style and I really felt his words as he sang about his children being killed by the tyrant Macbeth.  It seemed that Lady Macbeth was played for laughs rather than being the conniving and reckless bitch I wanted her to be.

 
If I'm being honest a few simple things really annoyed me about the production which should have been easily fixed.  A screen provided on the stage to show the horrors that Macbeth had committed was much too small for anyone to see and given the amount of room on the stage, could have been better used.  Having a stage crew member carry said screen off mid-scene in full light completely broke my sense of disbelief and it seemed like this had been thrown in at the last minute.  While having crew on stage is acceptable for small theatre shows, I feel for a production which is so focussed on slick scenes and expensive sets, this was an oversight which should not have happened.  

Overall, I did enjoy the show.  The Ulster Orchestra as always, were amazing and I always enjoy the visual spectacle of opera but I wanted to be shocked and angry at the Macbeth's behaviour, instead I was amused.

That's not so bad, is it?

@Classygenes

Image credit: Patrick Redmond

Coming up: NI Opera's Macbeth

Shakespeare’s darkest tragedy, retold by one of the world’s greatest opera composers, comes to Belfast this week at the Grand Opera House.

Following a critically-acclaimed production of The Flying Dutchman in early 2013, NI Opera makes a welcome return with a new production of Verdi’s masterpiece, Macbeth.

Shakespeare’s tale of murder, madness and all-consuming lust for power inspired Verdi to write some of his finest, most gloriously gripping music, and Macbeth is as popular today as it was when it premiered in 1847.

In this spectacular new production, Director Oliver Mears and Designer Annemarie Woods take a fresh approach to this famous story. With the Ulster Orchestra conducted by Nicholas Chalmers, a superb Irish and international cast and a chorus drawn from across Ireland, this will be an unmissable event for fans of Shakespeare and Verdi alike.

Sung in English.

Cast:
Macbeth: Bruno Caproni / Paul Carey Jones (February 22)
Lady Macbeth: Rachel Nicholls / Miriam Murphy (February 22)
Macduff: Andrew Rees
Banco: John Molloy
Lady in Waiting: Doreen Curran
Malcolm: Aaron Cawley
Doctor: Nathan Morrison
Assassin: Christopher Cull

Read my reviews of previous NI Opera productions:  The Flying Dutchman and Noye's Fludde
Read other Opera reviews: Elephant Angel, The Magic Flute and Otello
Read my review of Macbeth at the Lyric Theatre in 2012: Macbeth

Macbeth runs from Friday 21st - Sunday 23rd February at the Grand Opera House.  Click here to book tickets.

New to Opera? It's ok to attend in jeans! Read here.

Noel Coward's Brief Encounter - Wireless Mystery Theatre: Review

One doesn't really know what to expect when attending a Wireless Mystery Theatre performance. From War of the Worlds during Belfast Children's Festival, Scream Tea in White's Tavern or A Christmas Carol in the Ulster Hall, their work is always varied and sometimes unexpected.

Last night I went to the preview of Noel Coward's Brief Encounter.  A classic of cinema, Brief Encounter is repeatedly voted the most-loved romance on screen, a tale of two lovers whose love can never be expressed.  An innocent meeting of a married man (Stephen Beggs) and a married woman (Mary Lindsay) turns into a love affair which threatens to destroy their marriages, friendships and lives.  The story starts at the end, so to speak, as Laura feels faint in the bustling train station and wishes her friend is dead because she won't stop talking.  As the jigsaw is put back together, we find out why Laura feels the way she does, just who the mystery Doctor is she was saying goodbye to and why it was all so overwhelming.

Wireless Mystery Theatre use sound to great effect in this show.   Using surround sound technology, trains rattle through the theatre, making the audience feel very much like they're right in the middle of the action. The effect of this is that we have to listen all the more intently to what is happening between the characters. For me, this just enhanced the secretive nature of the affair, feeling like I was eavesdropping on a couple and hearing their deepest desires.

Mary Lindsay is particularly suited to playing Laura Jesson.  Her face spoke a thousand words as the guilt tore her apart and she fought with her inner, barely acknowledged desires. Stephen Beggs' Dr Harvey is dashing and handsome in his suit and hat and at times a little insistent.  We never see Dr Harvey's wife and so all our thoughts are with Laura and her turmoil.

Despite some first night technical hitches, the performances induced a few tears from a couple of unnamed audience members, overwrought by the emotional difficulty of the unplanned romantic interlude and it's final goodbye. Indeed it was heard to be said how easy it would be for something like this to happen, a testament to Coward's writing engaging even the most restrained audience members with Laura's predicament.

For me, by far the most poignant part of the play is when Laura's husband Fred (Mark Claney) says 'You've been a long way away... Thank you for coming back to me'. Despite his blandness and apparent disinterest, he has noticed the whole time that Laura's mind was on something else.

Brief Encounter runs until Saturday 15th February in the Baby Grand.
Click here to book tickets.


        

REVIEW: Stand Up Man: C21 Theatre Company

Much has been made of Tim McGarry's involvement in Stand Up Man.  Being a comedian you would expect that it is Tim himself who is the Stand Up Man Thaddeus McGuinn but this role was filled by Nick Hardin.

But Thaddeus is not a funny man, well not anymore. He's over stressed, under paid and unappreciated. Well that's how he feels anyway. His wife of 26 years Maggie (Cathy Brennan-Bradley) is an alcoholic, suffering from OCD and is severely depressed.  And it's all his fault.

A sparky script from American playwright Derek Murphy hinges on Thaddeus' inability to see what is right in front of his eyes.  He has damaged his relationships with his wife and his son with his selfish behaviour and insular personality. They don't understand how much he has forfeited to save them, how important it was for him to have given Buster his name, how much Maggie should appreciate him.

Tim McGarry's portrayal of Thaddeus' alter ego, the Father McGuinn he was meant to be, is both irreverent and refreshing.  His asides in the conversation add just the right amount of lightness to lift what is a very dark comedy.  While Tim doesn't have a lot to do, his part is the most essential, balancing the darkness of the script with just enough humour to ensure the audience don't leave in tears.

Nick Hardin as Thaddeus, is spiteful and selfish as the character demands.  We never really believe that he loves Maggie.  Even as he realises what he has lost, his own self obsession demands his attention.  His need to be funny supercedes every issue, whether forgetting his wedding anniversary, going to his son's school or a death in the family.

Kevin Patrick Keenan is a bright young actor and his portrayal of Buster grew on me throughout the second half. Buster is a difficult role to play. He is both adult and child, full of hatred for his father and love for his mother. His personality is a perfect mix of Thaddeus and Maggie, having inherited all his parents worst traits.

Cathy Brennan-Bradley as Maggie is a desperate and conflicted alcoholic.  I wasn't sure whether I enjoyed this character or not. As a poor downtrodden women, a kept wife and an attention seeker I felt the underhand duplicity of her personality from the start. As we got to know Thaddeus, maybe we understood why.  But I spent the whole first half just wanting her to leave him, to punch him and to show some balls.

While it seemed the pace was a little slow at times, not in keeping with the snappy writing, the show ticked along nicely, particularly in the second half when Buster was introduced.  An interesting relationship developed between father and son and I found myself more and more engaged with Keenan's physical characterisation, his hands and the way he held himself reflecting his mood.

I found the ending perplexing. Had Thaddeus realised what he had done to his family in an effort to save them? Had he conquered his demons and atoned for his sins?  Or was it just another wallow in self pity from a failed comedian and failed husband and father?  Murphy makes a powerful comment on redemption and whether any of us really understand how the other thinks and feels.

You can watch what audience members thought about the show here http://vimeo.com/85430766 
View the Trailer here: http://youtu.be/Fsns0D5c7z4

Stand Up Man runs in the Baby Grand until Saturday 8th February and you can book tickets here
after which the show will tour various venues across NI.  More information is available here           

Coming up: Stand Up Man by C21 Theatre Company

Northern Ireland theatres are set to host a dark comedy with a difference as Stand Up Man by Derek Murphy prepares to open at the Grand Opera House’s Baby Grand theatre on 28th January before touring regional theatres throughout February.

Stand Up Man follows Thaddeus McGuinn, played by Nick Hardin, a stand-up comedian who is one joke away from a mental breakdown. Disgraced ex-altar boy, Thaddeus, is about to face his toughest audience ever, his own sins. The play focuses on Thaddeus over one week, as he journeys back and forth between his audience and his family.

Well known Northern Ireland actor, comedian and TV personality, Tim McGarry will play a main role as Thaddeus’ alter ego as he visits his past and admits the errors of his way. This will be McGarry’s first serious theatre role after a successful, long-running career in comedy, radio and TV.

The play is written by Dublin born playwright Derek Murphy who now lives in New York. It is being produced by c21 Theatre Company from Belfast, led by producer Stephen Kelly and directed by Stephen Beggs.

Speaking about the play, Murphy said:

“Stand Up Man is a dark but humorous insight into the complex mind of a troubled Irish-American comedian which explores his guilt, shame and regrets in life. I think everyone knows someone a little like Thaddeus, our misguided anti-hero, so I hope Stand Up Man will resonate with our audiences. 

“I’m also delighted to be working with c21 again. This is the second theatre production I’ve collaborated with them on, following their production of the world premier of my play ‘Appendage’ in 2012, so I’m confident the cast and crew will create an amazing show.”

Following its two week run at the Baby Grand in Belfast’s Grand Opera House from 28th January, Stand Up Man will tour local theatres throughout February including the Island Arts Theatre, Lisburn; Riverside Theatre, Coleraine; Craic Theatre, Coalisland and the Market Place Theatre, Armagh.

Book your tickets for the Grand Opera House by clicking here.

Love For Sale at the Belfast Book Festival

Last week was a busy week...
Work, The All Ireland Performing Arts Conference, the kids, Castleton Lanterns, a wee genealogy project and co-producing The Break Musical at Pick N Mix. Somehow I managed to find time to go and see Love For Sale at the Grand Opera House (part of the Belfast Book Festival).  


Adapted from a short story 'Love for Sale $17.50' by Charles Bukowski, Black Egg presented this odd and slightly unnerving story of a man who falls in love with a mannequin.  I'm sure it was a difficult sell, but I like weird things, so off I went, dragging along the lovely Drew Dillon to accompany me.

James Doran tells the story of Robert, (Michael Liebmann) who has always had a thing for dolls. He limits his desires to his sexual fantasies until by chance he meets Stella, standing in the window of a junk shop... 
He offers the owner a price and he brings her home.  This relationship is obviously quite odd, and the audience is slightly unnerved as Robert stands he in the middle of his living room, talking to her and touching her as if she is not an inanimate object.  There is some nervous laughter in the audience and a few baffled looks.  With interruptions from his friend (Ciaran Nolan) and female lover (Jo Donnelly), he hides Stella away so they can't see.  He turns down drinks in the pub and does not want his girlfriend to stay over.  

“...there were advantages – he didn’t have to take her to dinner, to parties, to dull movies; all those mundane things that meant so much to the average woman. And there were arguments. There would always be arguments, even with a mannequin.”

He falls more in love, he dresses Stella up, talks to her, makes love to her. Eventually he realises that he shouldn't be ashamed of her and decides to tell his girlfriend, when all hell breaks loose.  The really lovely thing about the play is the direction by Fionnuala Kennedy and Paul Caddell, which subtly leads the audience's emotions in the opposite direction from where they started.  At the beginning of the play, we are disgusted by Robert's obsession, by the end we are rooting for him.  In the fight with his girlfriend, it's her that appears unhinged, not Robert, even though if this happened in real life, we would all react in the same way she does.  

We were all wondering if, in fact, we all wouldn't like a Stella in our lives? 

Karen


http://twitter.com/classygenes

Otello at the Grand Opera House

Opera North ran three operas this week at the Grand Opera House. 2013 is Giuseppe Verde's anniversary year and Opera North are celebrating with their production of Otello.  For the first time, I actually had company for the opera, and it was lovely. 

The opera is based on Shakespeare's great tragedy Othello, a story of malice, jealousy, torment and madness. The tragedy of the story is breathtaking and this production certainly broke a few hearts.  With half price tickets available as part of the Backin Belfast campaign,  the theatre was full of people who had not attended an opera before, the cheaper seats providing a less risky night out.  This did mean though that there was quite a bit of annoying whispering and people eating popcorn. 

I enjoyed the performances immensely, the lead playing his part with just enough frantic jealousy.  The scenes of violence within the piece were well choreographed and I truly feared that Elena Kelessidi as Desdemona would get hurt as Otello pushed her around.   Otello's entrance to the bedroom in Act 4 was terrifying and the tension was built up beautifully by some very good acting though it seemed at times that Ronald Swann was having to push his voice.

Kelessidi's voice grated a little at the start but the vulnerability with which she played the part was palpable.  Her pleading innocence in the prayer scene in particular brought a tear to the eye.

As for evil Iago, his manipulation of events was played by David Kempster with callous intent, the performer clearly enjoying his dual personality.  

Despite lacking a bit of energy in the opening scene, the chorus was generally very strong, and passionate.   As always the orchestra, conducted by Richard Farnes, blew me away.

Depicted in a garrison, the set was cold and menacing reflecting perhaps Otello's descent into mad jealousy and was put to good use.  There were plenty of places for Otello to hide and listen to conversations without being seen.  Lighting wise, I thought it a bit predictable and would have liked to have seen the lighting used more creatively. 

The surtitle screens were a bit low down to be read from the Upper Circle, I but found that I barely needed them.  Despite being sung in Italian, my knowledge of the story and the performers' expression kept me on course the whole way through.

Overall, a great night out.  I only wish the Backin Belfast discount was available all the time, to allow more people to see such amazing productions.

My love affair with opera continues...

Thanks

Karen

http://twitter.com/classygenes

Romeo and Juliet

Tonight I went to see C21 Theatre Company's Romeo and Juliet at the Grand Opera House.  This is a show I last saw at the Globe Theatre and it lasted over 3 hours.  As we were in the Groundling area outdoors in the rain, my memory was that it was endlessly long and very uncomfortable.  C21 promised a shorter version aimed primarily at a secondary school audience.  The production comes in at 80 minutes which is perfect for it's audience.

First mention must go to Jolene O'Hara, a talented young actress who embodied the role of Juliet with ease.  Her delicate beauty and passionate performance was touching. The role of Juliet is a powerful one and I thought she dealt with it well. Romeo, played by Michael Lavery, was a good match for her in performance and also in passion.

The other cast members Mark Claney, Eoghan Lamb, Rachael McCabe and Dan Leith played various roles, and despite a few accent issues on occasion, all were strong.  As a whole the production enthralled the many teenagers in the audience. They sat wide eyed as the story developed and by the end a few were crying.

The show is touring to schools and thus the set and lighting was simple but effective.  The white nets of Juliet's balcony were put to good use as a symbol of innocence and virginity.  On the night of her marriage to Romeo, the lights coloured red and she was innocent no more.

Arthur Webb did a good job at directing the production.  His experience as an educator clear, his knowledge of teen minds meant that the audience's attention was not distracted.  Peppered with humorous moments, music and lots of not too passionate kissing, a teen audience will engage well.  Credit also is due for the adaptation which kept the scenes short and focussed.  A sterling presentation from C21 and great to see them in the Grand Opera House.

Click here to find out more about c21Theatre Company

Click here to book tickets for the Grand Opera House from 26 February - 2 March

Karen

http://twitter.com/classygenes

Bite sized Romeo and Juliet from c21 at the Grand Opera House

Next week I'm looking forward to seeing c21's bite sized version of Romeo and Juliet in the Baby Grand.

Sold as a turbo-charged, pared-down version of the famous romantic drama that will distill all the beauty, violence and tragedy of the original… but in less than 90 minutes.  The production has been especially adapted for schools and smaller theatre venues with the original script that has been adapted by Gary Wilson. 

Lisburn actor Michael Lavery and Belfast’s Jolene O'Hara star as the star-crossed lovers, heading up a dynamic cast bringing Shakespeare's words to exhilarating new life.  Shakespeare’s universally known language is still intact but in a more condensed and accessible form. The show will be directed by Arthur Webb who acknowledges that teachers often have a fear of teaching Shakespeare.  He promises that this new production makes the blank verse accessible and the narrative straightforward without diluting the enjoyment and sense. He finds that pupils are often more visual than auditory learners, as am I!

No longer a young upcoming company, c21 has been on the theatre scene in Northern Ireland now for 8 years.  It has established itself as a consistent and exciting player, staging a variety of productions from edgy comedy drama to pantomime.  The production is supported by Arts & Business and Burke Shipping Group.

The production opened today at the Craic in Coalisland, touring to the Grand Opera House, Riverside Theatre and Sean Hollywood Arts Centre as well as giving schools performances and workshops.

Click here to find out more about c21Theatre Company

Click here to book tickets for the Grand Opera House from 26 February - 2 March  

NI Opera's The Flying Dutchman

On Friday night I attended NI Opera's The Flying Dutchman at the Grand Opera House.

Being more of a theatre lover, I'm not a very experienced opera attender.  I attended two children's operas, Noye's Fludde and Elephant Angel early last year, then later in the year, The Magic Flute, all of which I loved.  

This season, I could only afford to choose one event to attend at the Grand Opera House.  As someone who loves the arts and who generally wants to see everything, I simply can't afford to go to everything I want.  This means missing on some of the best events.  Thank goodness then that I decided to choose this production as my 'one to see'.

Wagner's opera tells the tale of a stormy night when a Norwegian sea captain encounters the Flying Dutchman - a ghostly captain doomed to sail the seas for all eternity. The two men strike a deal, but when things do not go according to plan, other lives are pulled into the resulting maelstrom.

The opening sequence was beautiful and was my favourite part of the production. As the orchestra played, the stage was covered in a blanket of falling snow as waves crashed at the back of the stage. The bleakness  of the otherwise empty stage really set the scene for the drama to come.  The Dutchman's huge ship sailed into view and it's ghostly appearance was impressive.  Of course links have to be made to the Titanic, but I couldn't help but think of that other famous Flying Dutchman, Davy Jones' ship in Pirates of the Carribean!        

I really enjoyed the ethereal beauty of the whole of Act One and the Ulster Orchestra as always were astounding.  

Acts Two and Three were equally engaging and I thought that the leads were strong, especially Giselle Allen as Senta, her fiery passion set against Bruno Caprioni as the serious and bleak Dutchman.  I enjoyed the chorus a lot, their enthusiasm drawing me in closer to listen to the words.  It was nice to see some familiar faces in the chorus as well. I love that Belfast can not only produce an opera of this size, but also that we have produced home-bred opera singers of such calibre.

Despite some apprehension that Wagner may be too difficult for me as a new fan of opera, I followed the story completely and was absolutely mesmerized by the entire production.  I'll be back to see NI Opera for The Bear in March.  Click here for more info.            

The Magic Flute at the Grand Opera House

Last night I ventured out into the freezing cold night to attend my first ever opera for adults.  I have been to two childrens' operas this year - NI Opera's Noye's Fludde and Scottish Opera's Elephant Angel.  You can read what I thought about them here:  Noye's Fludde and here: The Elephant Angel.  

I thought it was about time I tried an adult opera.  I chose The Magic Flute for a few reasons.  It was produced by Scottish Opera whose last production I had seen, it was sung in English and it had dialogue as well as singing (I now know this to be Singspiel style).  I also noted an 'Opera Unwrapped' event the night before which made the production even more accessible to me.  

Opera Unwrapped is a great tactic for bringing in new attenders.  Opera is an artform that is stereotyped as foreign, elitist and for the wealthy.  Given this stereotype, it can be intimidating attending an opera for the first time.  This informal event is a great idea and it really added to my understanding and enjoyment of the full production.  

The story is about a young prince who is asked to rescue the Queen of the Night's daughter who has been abducted.  Other themes are also clear; religion, the path to enlightenment, masonic ritual and the number 3, but I engaged most with the magical love story. 

I have to say the fabulous set and costumes blew me away.  Opera really does do it bigger, better, brasher and bolder.  The beautiful industrial serpent was stunning. When I think of how long it must have taken to make him, I only wish he could have been kept on stage longer. The set itself was in Victoriana steampunk style.  Industrial looking with wheels and cogs, you'd be forgiven for thinking the whole tale took place inside a watch.  I loved the scientific feel of the set, the dual levels of the set allowing bearded men in the gallery to look down on the action below, just like the old operating theatres where students looked down on the surgeon at work.  The chorus included nurses, and men with top hats with head lamps in them, reminiscent of both coal miners and scientists. 

As a non opera goer and a terrible singer I can't say anything technical about the singing except to say that it all sounded perfect to me.  Acting wise however, I did have my favourites.  Papageno, clearly the star of the show gave an assured performance, his character driving the energy of a lot of the scenes.  His timing was impeccable and I really enjoyed the ever present twinkle in his eye.  The three Ladies were very entertaining, given playful direction for some of the wittiest scenes.  The Queen of the Night's costume was stunning.  I thought Mari Moriya really lived up to the drama of the character using her costume and body shape to accent the meaning of her words.  Of course a special mention must go to the orchestra, their beautiful understated accompaniment accentuating the larger than life characters on the stage.   

As a mix of pantomime, theatre, opera and musical theatre this production really caught my attention.  As a lover of epic fiction, ancient mythology, science fiction and fantasy, fairytales and polished production values, this opera really spoke to my love of fantastical adventures.

It may have been the last night of the tour for this production, but for me it's the start of a long and epic romance with opera.

              

The Elephant Angel

The Elephant Angel is billed as a heart-warming new opera for audiences of all ages.  It was written by composer Gareth Williams and novelist Bernard MacLaverty.  It is based on a true story, and tells the tale of a lady zookeeper who takes a baby elephant home with her each night during the Belfast Blitz, looking after it and keeping it safe with the help of the children who live near by.

Despite my love of epic stories, loud music and fantastic costumes, I'm not an opera fan.  I generally can't hear the singers because the music is too loud and I hate not understanding the story.  So this opera suited me down to the ground.  It is for kids so it's less than an hour long, it's sung in English and best of all I already knew the story.

The story of the real Elephant Angel, North Belfast's Denise Austin is here for anyone who wants to read it.

I was pleasantly surprised by the performance.  The set was simple which meant that Sheila the elephant stood out.  She was put together beautifully and I thought the person playing her moved her limbs well.  The fiery lighting in the scene directly after the Air raid was gorgeous, and I loved the orange tinted glow of the children's faces.

Armagh composer, Gareth Williams' music is simple, well suited to the age group and with many lovely moments.  I particularly liked a scene in the school playground where the music was able to be at the forefront of the sound.  Strong characters, a sad story and a lovely setting meant that my 13th Belfast Festival event was not unlucky at all.

Looking forward to Festival event number 14 tomorrow - the Falling Song at The MAC Belfast.

           

Pvt. Wars at the Baby Grand

Last night I went to see PVT. Wars at the Grand Opera House.  Produced by up and coming new theatre company Pintsized Productions, directed by Terry Keeley and written by James McLure, the play stars 3 of NI's best young actors - Martin McCann, Chris Robinson and Gerard McCabe.  

The 3 characters Silvio, Natwick and Gately are Vietnam veterans, scarred by their experiences both physically and mentally.  They are all voluntary admitted psychiatric patients in a veteran's hospital and while the war is barely mentioned, the experiences the men went through ensures the ghost of war is always present.

McLure is a talented playwright.  His use of comedy is measured, well placed and timed to perfection. One particular scene where Silvio tries to teach Gatley how to pick up a girl has the audience in stitches.  Despite the laughter though, our knowledge of Silvio's extreme injury ensures that there is an undercurrent of despair to this scene that only serves to highlight the characters' pain. McLure reinforces the point numerous times in the play that the men could leave anytime, but the outside world terrifies them. There doesn't seem to be a way out for them.  Even when it appears Silvio might leave, a letter comes which destroys his chances of getting away.  The hopelessness portrayed in this scene is particularly vivid.

The characters are well developed, but stereotypical.  Natwick is a privileged posh, cultured man, Silvio is a macho swaggering Italian-American and Gately an innocent country boy.  The three men however have the war and their mental problems in common.  Natwick is neurotic, suicidal but not brave enough to kill himself, Gately spends the whole play obsessively trying to fix a radio and Silvio shows clear psychotic tendencies and a fixation on flashing women. It is clear as we head to the end of the play that actually the only thing keeping these three men grounded is their uneasy friendship, despite their obvious differences. 
    
This show is a credit to the abilities of all three actors.  The hilarity of the pranks, the sex jokes and the comic misunderstandings is always underpinned by sadness and despair.  We may laugh but we never forget that these are three fragile damaged souls. 

Gerard McCabe's innocent Gately is the anchor of the play. Without him you feel the other characters could not be friends however uneasy that friendship might be.  He both begins and ends the play and his reflection on the sunrise in the last scene just adds to the anguish of the veterans' situation.  

Chris Robinson plays Natwick's depression to perfection.  He is terrified to stay in the world but equally terrified to leave it through suicide. One scene where Natwick attempts to make Silvio like him is particularly good and highlights the actors' impeccable comic timing. 

Martin McCann, who has not been on a theatre stage for 6 years, encapsulated Silvio's character precisely. Of all the characters, Silvio is the most dangerous. It can't be easy to play a psychotic character and still make the audience want to take you home and protect you!            

The play was written not long after the Vietnam war and the public were aware of the difficulties veterans' had returning to society.  Today we still have young men and women returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan.  We still hear stories of veterans being made homeless, of high suicide rates and not enough help being available.  The stigma attached to living with a mental illness does not help and still exists today.  It's clear that the central messages of McLure's play are still relevant.  

PVT. Wars continues at the Grand Opera House until Saturday 20th October. Please go along and support this young company.  Click here to book.

The Plough & The Stars Review

Last week we had date day. We've never been able to do date night like other couples because of the hubby's un-family friendly working hours.  I had booked tickets for the matinee of The Plough and the Stars, an Abbey production, on tour to the Grand Opera House. 

First of all, we decided to try HOME on Wellington Place which we'd been meaning to try for a while.  We kept it simple, Sean having a burger and me trying the fishcake.  It was lovely, really simple, informal and friendly.  The service was speedy, the price was cheap and the food was tasty.  What else could you ask for? 

Then we were off to the Grand Opera House.  As usual at a matinee, the place was full of school kids.  This is always a risk you take if you choose to go to a matinee and sometimes it's a curse, at other times a blessing.  Our seats in the stalls were right in the middle of two different sets of school kids, but we had nothing to worry about. Despite a bit of shuffling around and a laugh in an inappropriate place, they were exceptionally well behaved.  They clearly knew the text as the anticipation in the air was obvious.  Just before a particular character died, I heard a whispered 'This is the bit where she dies, I hope I don't cry' from a student sitting near me.

The Plough and the Stars itself was excellent.  I didn't know the story at all, not having much interest in Irish literature until very recently.  As always I am drawn to the historical context - the birth of Ireland as a nation and the effect on the people living at the time.  While the romantics constructed their perfect rebellion and heroes were revered for their amplified deeds, the real people of Dublin were struggling through their lives with illness, poverty and pain.  O'Casey centres on these people in his play; the heroes are not the republicans at the GPO but the real people such as Fluther Good and Bessie Burgess.         

I found the performance a little slow to get going, perhaps lacking a little energy but this is natural at a matinee performance as the actors conserve their energy for a second 3 hour show.  Frankie McCafferty was, for me the stand out performance; his Peter Flynn was engaging, comical and well rounded.  I also enjoyed Gabrielle Reidy's Bessie, who has such pivotal character development throughout the play.  The cast supported each other throughout and were a tight team on stage.  The set was great, both functional and authentic and I loved the visual reminder of nationalism with the flags, but the scene changes and flying seemed clunky and unnecessary.  The lighting at times seemed to intrude on the play and there were changes in lighting which distracted from the actors' performance.  However small technical issues aside, the production was a great introduction to the Abbey's work and we have already booked to see The Picture of Dorian Grey at the Abbey in November.

Nice to catch up with 'A Bartender' Tony Flynn after the show as well, though he will always be the demon Mephistopheles to me...                

Karen

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