King's Head Theatre
Reviewed on Wednesday 24th April 2013
A rowdy protest parading the streets of Naples chanting “Viva Verdi” was the riotous response when Verdi’s opera A Masked Ball or Ballo was first rejected by the censors in the nineteenth century. The offending plot was the historical subject of the assassination of King Gustav the Third in 1792 at a masked ball in Stockholm. The censors refused to allow the depiction of a monarch on stage and even more controversial, his murder!
Olivier Award winning OperaUpClose presents Verdi’s A Masked Ball or Ballo readdressing the Swedish connection. This truly inspiring group of artists lead us into the world of Swedish flat pack soap opera drama set in a familiar furniture store on the North Circular, where “meatballs” is the password.
In a new English adaptation by Adam Spreadbury Maher and a new piano version by Luca Tieppo at The King’s Head Theatre Islington, the quirkiness and humour are inclusive and the unfolding drama will have you sitting on the edge of your seat.
Chuck Out Your Chintz! The uncompromising simplicity of the set, lighting and costume set the scene perfectly. A highlight in Act 2 finds us in the bleak Ballo Store car park at midnight. Amelia stands dressed in trademark yellow and blue, harshly lit by two street lamps and sings her heart wrenching aria with the opening line “Here I am in this bloody freezing car park.” It was mesmerising.
The opera begins with a projected film, an animation of childlike drawings, giving the audience a synopsis of the original story of King Gustav, perfectly setting the mood for what is to follow. The opening scene is centred on a staff training session with a flat pack table being awkwardly assembled with a part missing. With this all too familiar experience we are through the door and transported to Ballo.
In the colourful aisles of Ballo a sinister plot quickly unfolds. The store cleaner Tom played by Dickon Gough stands threateningly in the shadows of the stalls with a murderous grudge to bear. Riccardo the store manager played by Edward Hughes is our parallel King Gustav, destined to die as fortold in the stars by enthusiastic psychic customer complaints advisor Ulrica, played by Olivia Barry. Renato, the assistant store manager and jealous husband played by Christopher Jacklin, is married to the forlorn Amelia, checkout operator and temptress to the hapless store manager. Last but not least Oscar, the excitable and outrageous PA to the store manager played by Martin Milnes. Oscar is traditionally a page played by a female soprano in a “trouser role” but here a male soprano highlights the parallel of the modern dedicated male personal assistant with undertones of the apparent close relationship of historical King Gustav and his pages.
All the performances were equally strong and convincing and the overall sound was right up there in the true tradition of grand opera.
Ballo, the opera and the furniture store of the same name are draped at all times in vibrant yellow and blue, by no coincidence the Swedish national colours. The finale bursts into song as the cast proudly sing the Ballo Store Song.
Viva Verdi! Ballo is home at last in a furniture store off the North Circular!
A must see.
Reviewed by Alison Wisenfeld
Ballo (A Masked Ball) runs at the King's Head Theatre until 25th May 2013.
Please visit www.kingsheadtheatre.com for further information and to book tickets.
opera in the kings head is very different. personally i prefer it in bigger venues.
ReplyDelete