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  • THEATRE REVIEW | Pleasure – Howard Assembly Rooms, Leeds and National Tour

    ★★★ | Pleasure

    Val works as a toilet attendant in Pleasure, a gay club somewhere in the north of England, acting as confidante, agony aunt, mother figure and friend to the young men who frequent the club. Matthew is a hopeless romantic, Nathan is unsure of his sexuality and the cabaret act, Anna Fewmore, is bitter and jaded by time. But lost amongst the urinals and dramas of the club, Val harbours a dark secret and a past which is about to catch up with her.

    Lesley Garrett as Val; Photo Credit: Robert Workman

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Written by Mark Simpson and Melanie Challenger, Pleasure plugs into both the cynicism and the optimism on display in the gay scene and looks at the secret lives, hidden pasts and major insecurities felt by many which remain hidden. Whilst Anna Fewmore sings “it doesn’t matter who you are, only what you appear to be”, there is optimism in the form of the bohemian Matthew’s ever persistent belief in love.  But all of this is juxtaposed with the sad, tragic and lonely figure of Val; and the reason why she continues to hide herself away in the toilet of a gay club.

    Simpsons score is an angular and jolting affair, which is oppressive and uneasy, mirroring the mixed emotions of the four characters and one which reflects the darker side of the gay scene; whilst Challenger’s libretto had moments which showed insight into the common fears of gay men. Lesley Garrett draws the attention as Val, Steven Page brims with bitterness as the jaded, acerbic cabaret star and Nick Pritchard and Timothy Nelson keep the burgeoning relationship between Matthew and Nathan on the right side of tender with just a hint of homoeroticism.

    Pleasure is quite a dark examination of the tragedy of hidden lives, of the feelings that people so often keep to themselves, and of the pain and hurt hidden by someone amongst their acts of kindness to others. When someone mentions opera, you wouldn’t necessarily imagine Lesley Garrett scrubbing toilets in a seedy gay club, which is what makes Pleasure such a bold attempt at a contemporary opera.

    With its stripped back presentation, Pleasure is a quite intense piece of theatre. Its operatic style and the themes explored make it a production which is not just challenging; but also which is not necessarily an easy watch. It requires the concentration and attention of its audience throughout but ultimately rewards the focussed viewer.

    Pleasure is currently showing at the Howard Assembly Rooms in Leeds before touring to Liverpool Playhouse (4th May 2016); Aldeburgh: Britten Studio, Snape (7th May 2016) and Lyric Hammersmith (12th – 14th May 2016). For details and to book tickets visit www.operanorth.co.uk/productions/pleasure

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Opera North La Traviata – National Tour

    ★★★★ | Opera North La Traviata – National Tour

    Set in Paris circa 1700, Alfredo Germont, a demure young man falls in love with Violetta, a courtesan, who is the toast of society because of her lavish, debauchery filled parties. But Violetta is dying and despite initially dismissing him, she falls for Alfredo and gives up her lifestyle to be with him. As they move to the country and with her fortune dwindling, Violetta is visited by Alfredo’s father, who is worried about the impact upon his daughter’s marriage prospects as a result of Violetta’s former profession, and he talks her into leaving Alfredo to secure the family’s future. But with Alfredo confused at why his love has abandoned him and with Violetta’s health failing quickly, can love bring the two back together before it is too late?

    Opera North has produced a simply sumptuous production of Verdi’s beautiful and heart-breaking opera, both in terms of performance and presentation. During the opening scene where Violetta appears, silhouetted by a full moon, the combination of modern theatricality and traditional opera makes it clear that you are about to watch something special. From the sexually charged ensemble piece of Violetta’s party during the opening, to the ghostly visitations voyeuristically poised over Violetta’s death bed, the director, Alessandro Talevi, provides a refreshing take in terms of the opera’s presentation.

    Hye-Youn Lee, as Violette and Ji-Min Parkas Alfredo were well matched in terms of their performances, with Lee providing a sweet and sensitive performance, whilst Roland Wood stood out from the remainder of the cast as Alfredo’s desperate and scheming father. It is only when you hear opera sung live you are hit with the sheer power of their voices, especially as the soaring sounds echoed around the opulence of the Leeds Grand Theatre. The live orchestra sent a shiver down the spine, from the opening notes played by the piercing strings to the swelling crescendos of the closing moments, and sounded exquisite.

    Opera is often overlooked by theatre goers because of the perception of it being impenetrable and highbrow, but Opera North have produced a theatrical piece which is beautifully put together, but accessible to all. La Traviata is embedded in popular culture and you will recognise it from the silver-clad roof top bus ride in Priscilla, Vivien’s first opera in Pretty Woman or the story of Satine and Christian in “Moulin Rouge!” Whether you are an opera novice or aficionado, this production oozes quality and has much to recommend it.

    Despite being sung in Italian, the show has surtitles; two screens which provide the audience with details of what is being said. These surtitles are detailed enough to enhance and drive forward the narrative, but do not translate every single word, thereby allowing you to easily understand the interactions of the characters without it ever preventing you from being able to watch the stage and to appreciate the music, staging or performances.

    La Travita is currently being performed alongside a two other productions, The Bartered Bride and The Coronation Of Poppea (the latter two being sung in English) which comprise Opera North’s Autumn season and are being performed at different venues around the country, including Leeds, Nottingham, Belfast, Manchester and Newcastle.

    For full details, visit their website at http://www.operanorth.co.uk