L'Elisir D'Amore
King's Head Theatre
Reviewed on Tuesday 12th February 2013
On Tuesday evening I saw Donizetti's L'Elisir D'Amore at the King's Head Theatre, Islington. It was a wonderful night out. I am still buzzing.
In such a small theatre you cannot help but notice the audience reaction, and they were soaking it up. I felt privileged to be part of the experience, heightened by such wonderful performances. Una Reynolds as Adina, playfully flirtatious and stylish, a 1950s Hollywood star, who lives to be loved. Alex Vearey-Roberts as Nemorino, gardener, pool boy and love-sick aspirational writer who plays with your heart strings as he chants his woes. Marc Callahan is Belcore, a smooth singing plastic idol who serenades his fiancée Adina with such humour and cliche. Alistair Sutherland as Dulcamara, Adina's stylist, plays it like a Shakespearean comedy, seamlessly connecting the narrative of the opera. Caroline Kennedy as Gianetta, Adina's actress friend, who wins everyone over with her sweet voice and easy, genuine smile.
To the left of the stage in the first act and the right in the second were the musicians. John Gibbons, Frances Higgs and Rachael Moorhead who, despite only numbering three, created a rich depth of sound. Being visibly up on the stage the trio added to the feel good, relaxed atmosphere and the change of position emphasised their contribution as you literally saw them in a new light.
The set was inventive and made ingenious use of the small stage, with vertically hanging arial views cleverly and humourously used as Adina and Gianetta lounge stylishly as if on lilos floating in a private Hollywood pool. The images are reminiscent of Hockney's pool paintings and the opening scene of the film "The Graduate" as Dustin Hoffman floats aimlessly. Here the pool is framed by hanging gardens of exotic flowers, the rich colours of the set evoking a warm uplifting mood enhanced by the highly original idea of the audience being invited to use 3D loveheart glasses during the wedding scene. Activated by lanterns and fairy lights, these created dripping garlands of lovehearts, appearing to frame the stage in psychedelic fantasy.
If you closed your eyes without all this exciting distraction you could just about believe it was a traditional rendition of Donizetti's opera, but that is not the point. You do not have to be an opera lover to appreciate this visual feast. Enjoy.
Please visit www.kingsheadtheatre.com for more information and to book tickets.
Reviewed by Alison Wisenfeld
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