Review
Glyndbourne Touring Opera The Bartered Bride On Saturday 12th November 1999 at the Apollo
This highly entertaining production
of The Bartered Bride used fifties costumes and scenery to
create a modern context for the restoration plot. The stage is flooded
with people from start to finish, the size and personality of the
company as a whole conveying a real sense of a town community. The
action focuses on a cafe where the townspeople meet, gossip, drink
and flirt and where town business is arranged and discussed. The set
is typical of a post-war Czechslovakian bar, complete with rustic
wooden tables, fifties clock, and glowing exit sign. As such it is
a very convincing background to the human dilemmas revolving within
it. Marenka (Orla Boylan) and Jenik
(Michael Konig) love each other, but Marenkas parents have different
ideas, which exclude the unknown and rather enigmatic loner for the
rich but wimpy Vasek (Alasdair Elliott), son of the wealthy land owner
Micha (Alan Fairs). Meanwhile a marriage broker plays everyone for
as much money as possible, and succeeds, so everyone thinks, in persuading
Jenik to barter his sweetheart away to his rival. Finally, as Marenka
mourns the lover that betrayed her, Jenik makes a surprising announcement
and saves the day. The company combines masterful
singing with talented acting. Marenka and Jenik sensitively portray
an adult relationship that is mature and often complicated. Gordon
Sandison and Eiddwen Harrhy as Marenka parents capture the combination
of affectionate concern and misguided interference that afflicts most
parents. Alisdair Elliott as Vasek, a character that is both farcical
and pathetic, is also rather lovable, and gets one of the loudest
cheers at the end. frnces McCafferty as Vaseks mother is also
worth a mention, as despite her relatively small role she conveys
a strong and amusing personality. The folk dance performed by Marenka and her friends to the older people of the town is a cheerful interlude, which has the audience watching an audience watch a show. Another brilliant piece is the intervention of a Real English Circus that has, the ringleader announces nasally, come all the way from Swindon, Eastbourne, and other exotic locations. We are treated to a whirling display of fire-eaters, jugglers magicians and a trapeze artist, and the mixture of cockney cursing and operatic phrases proves extremely funny - especially in the case of the Indian, played by Martyn Sharp, who is tremendously camp. Why the circus, you might be wondering, but I will leave you in suspense, for it is just another attraction of this diverse and accessible opera. Wonderful - A Must-See... Jane Labous
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