Opera North nail a witty Gilbert & Sullivan classic
Gilbert and Sullivan’s two act comic opera Ruddigore came to Nottingham in the midst of the November freeze and what ensued was a spectacle with more than enough wit, warmth and musical drama to see us through winter. In case you are in any doubt, when Opera North come to Nottingham do your best to bag yourself a ticket.
First performed in 1887, Ruddigore, was written as a satire of the sentimental melodramas which were popular at the time. This production, first seen in 2010 sets the action in the 1920’s and begins with a backstory explained via silent movie captions accompanied by the original overture. The combination of a live orchestra and a black and white film is inspired and rightly places the music centre stage.
Ruddigore is a story filled with intended contradictions from the colourful characters. We have a lost brother, the timid and supposedly good-hearted Robin Oakapple, boastful about his own shyness who has side stepped his destiny. A much-wooed Rose Maybud, whose declarations of true and lasting love are as lightly held as the changing fortunes of her fluctuating affections. A loyal friend, Richard just back from years of seafaring who drops his allegiance to Robin at the first sight of Rose.
Then there is Robin’s younger brother and the bad baronet, Sir Despard Murgatroyd who because of his brother’s subterfuge is tied to an inherited curse to do a crime every day or face a painful death. This he does by being a wrong ’un early in the morning and spending the rest of the day compensating with good deeds.
As Robin is revealed as the true heir to the curse, he fulfils his calling by committing criminal acts so feeble, that his ancestors return from the dead to harangue him. Nothing is what it seems, and we were even treated to some contemporary referencing of Liz Truss, the lettuce and the paradox of the supposed virtue of people who hold power.
If this sounds busy, well it is. There is a lot going on. Heroes and villains, nautical japes, and crimes. The three sub-genres of melodrama packed into one, yet the skill of this production is in how the story was lightly held. The inherent silliness required a joyful suspension of belief that was ably matched in the strength of the singing and dancing which never took itself too seriously.
The Theatre Royal delivered an ideal backdrop to the spirit of vaudeville which allowed for a pure enjoyment of the absurdities that unfolded. The orchestra was superb and more than justified their place by carrying us through the changing emotions of laughter to soulful love songs with relaxed ease.
The male voices were particularly impressive and whilst there was joy to be found in all the performances, my favourite was the bad baronet turned good Sir Despard Murgatroyd played by Sheffield born John Savournin, who in either guise held the stage. It was a joy to see so many women characters with their own agency including the chorus of frivolous professional bridesmaids. Whilst mad Maragaret risked being a cliché you felt that she knew exactly what she was doing.
The second act was truly magnificent as ghostly ancestors fell from the pictures that lined the dark wooden walls and cleverly returned to them in what was a spectacularly choregraphed scene.
Opera North are good, really good, as was this production. On a cold Thursday night, the Theatre Royal was packed, and I was surrounded by opera lovers and naïve newbies like myself. If you’ve never been to opera before don’t be daunted, what we were treated to made me think of five-star panto.
The screens on the side give all the words to the songs and the programme delivered an overview of the action as well as a full history and context to the opera. With its combination of a live orchestra, bowler hats and deckchairs, goodies and baddies, unrequited loves, sea shanties, ghosts and flapper dancers, laugh out loud topsy turvy absurdities and fast patter songs this was a great night out.
There is something truly thrilling in going to world class opera on your doorstep and Opera North’s Ruddigore didn’t disappoint.
Opera North played Ruddigore at Nottingham's Theatre Royal on Thursday 21 November 2024.
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