Thursday July 2, 2015, H&H Series 3 Reviews: Theatre Trimmed Verdi will still break your heart

LA TRAVIATA TRICYCLE THEATRE 

The Olivier award-winning company OperaUpClose has hit on a clever formula: streamlining the classics for intimate theatre spaces and fresh audiences. They now relocate Verdi’s much-loved La Traviata to an unnamed US city in the 1920s. Performed by just five singers and a piano trio [clarinet and cello], Robin Norton-Hale’s production, with a score arranged by Harry Blake, makes some adjustments to the opera’s original scheme. With picture: ANDREAS GRIEGER an array of dazzling flapper costumes and a charming Violetta and her lover Alfredo rebellious, at times darkened art deco set by Katie Bellman escape to. Time is compressed, with despair. Bailey’s watchful (wood panelling, a luxurious characterization is quickly performance captivates and chaise longue, glass decanters) established but some emotional his tenor voice glides between the opening party scene at investment is sacrificed along resolute adoration, fury and raw Courtesan Violetta’s home is the way. pain. With impressive support promising. Norton-Hale plays Purists may miss the power from baritone James Harrison up the flapper context to good of a full orchestra supporting as Alfredo’s conniving, career- effect, spotlighting the story’s Verdi’s tremulous exchanges driven father Germont, Flora focus on moral hypocrisy. but no one could fault the Mcintosh as Flora, Violetta’s But while the microcosm talent of the two leads. The loyal, flirtatious consort, and of their privileged world is cast rotates to protect the Dario Dugandzic as the wicked, convincingly evoked, there singers’ voices and on press love rival Baron, the production is little sense of any broader night we were treated to the moves from an overly truncated context – neither of the city soaring talents of Louisa first half towards a confidently that spawns their rarefied Tee and Robin Bailey. Tee’s paced, heartbreaking finale. lives nor the countryside that soprano reverberates, light and Caroline David Bold Chekhov for our times

THE SEAGULL REGENT’S PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE

Art imitates life in Chekhov’s tale of parasitic creatives, and on opening night in Regent’s Park, the reverse also came to pass when a resident moorhen waddled over to greet the dead seagull. It’s a compliment to Matthew Dunster, who fully embeds the Russian tale in Nina and Konstantin in the Seagull Picture: Johan Persson our north London park, while Torben Betts’s sparky free a memorably toxic creation, as literally. It’s an effective adaptation gives the 120-year- absurdly flexing her lithe interpretation of Chekhov’s old work an effortlessly limbs in a show of girlishness, most overt homage to the Bard. contemporary feel. skilfully manipulating her lover Matthew Tennyson’s frail, Jon Bausor’s striking design and posing as rather than being oversensitive Konstantin is dominated by a giant angled a caring mother. She no longer impresses, as do Alex mirror, highlighting the recognises the distinction Robertson’s egotistical writer, prevailing narcissism. Fading between reality and artifice. Ian Redford’s florid uncle, Lisa diva Arkadina and her clan Nor does Konstantin, Diveney’s seething alcoholic, use love to inflate their egos, preaching the theatre Sabrina Bartlett’s impulsive seeing the preferred version of of truth but only able to actress, Colin Hoult’s ignored themselves reflected in those produce tortured symbolic teacher and Danny Webb’s who adore them. indulgence. In contrast, pensive doctor. Any threats to self-image Dunster’s production is overly This is Chekhov with real must be extinguished, hence broad at times, with explicit 21st-century bite, attacking the Arkadina callously crushing editorialising via eye-rolling hollowness and corrosiveness her aspiring playwright son servants, but it comes closer to of celebrity. Another bold Konstantin because his new following Hamlet’s instruction offering in a strong Open Air type of theatre renders her to hold “the mirror up to season. irrelevant. Janie Dee delivers nature” – figuratively as well Marianka Swain