Offenbach Retold Triptych

BK Opera continues to push the boundaries when it comes to opera. This production featured a new director, with Henry Shaw taking the reins, but the innovation was still there.

Offenbach wrote many operettas, and the director has taken three, utilising the music, but replacing the original story line with his own with English dialogue. The music was sung in the original French with surtitles on a TV screen, which was part of the set.

It was bedlam!

Snogging & Vlogging featured a self-obsessed video blogger constantly wanting to film everything in the hope of saving someone and becoming a hero. It was based on Pierrette et Jacquot, which has a similar story line. It was adapted well and Finn Gilheany was particularly funny as Randy.

Now You See Me is based on Les deux aveugles or The Two Blind Beggars,and featured two magicians pretending to be blind and competing for the same spot in a cabaret. It involved them competing in various artistic endeavours with some help from the audience until they both worked out the other was faking it.

Breaking and Entering (and Exiting) featured some inept burglars attempting to steal some jewels from an agoraphobic. The Keystone Cops would have been proud of the antics they got up to.

This was a highly entertaining night out. The performers maintained their frenetic energy without dropping character, and were very funny. Some of the singers had some way to go on their vocal journey, but Henry Shaw was a standout with his beautiful singing.

The unnamed accompanist did sterling work on the piano.

This was a delightful night out.

Graham Ford