November 19, 2010
Mozart’s greatest rival and dearest friend, Antonio Salieri, greets us, after we hear rumours that he is a murderer. He tells us that we are to witness the last hour of his life, as he relives the catalogue of jealousies, deceit, and outright lies that have brought him to the brink of suicide. And so the story begins: how he heard about and then met the prodigy Mozart, how astonished he was at the genius he witnessed, and ultimately how he conspired, with others, to quell and kill off, prematurely, an extraordinarily gifted musician, because his own achievements, as Court Composer in Vienna in the 18th century, were shown to be mediocre at best, and Mozart’s gift eclipsed the entire musical world.
Banbury Cross Players have chosen a wonderful play, but a very difficult one to pull off. The language is superb but complex, the story is compelling but episodic, and the staging, lighting, and sound challenges are enormous. This is a tall order for a professional company, but this humble group have produced a spellbinding evening of intrigue, conflict, elation and despair which captivated the small first night audience, of which I was privileged to be a member.
Peter Bloor’s Salieri guides us through the history of Mozart’s rise and demise with wonderful pathos as he begs our forgiveness and understanding; the performance is a tour de force, and it is beautifully supported by Richard Oliver’s quirky, energetic, unconventional and charming Mozart. Indeed, there is a strong sense of ensemble and shared purpose by the whole cast; director Anne Bloor has led her team quite brilliantly. There is no weakness anywhere in this production, from set design right through to make up.
This is a rare gem. Yes, it’s an amateur company, but the performances and production values are equal to many professional productions, and, allied to a mighty script, make for a moving evening. Nights like this are the reason why I fell in love with theatre. Thank you, BCP.
Banbury Cross Players have chosen a wonderful play, but a very difficult one to pull off. The language is superb but complex, the story is compelling but episodic, and the staging, lighting, and sound challenges are enormous. This is a tall order for a professional company, but this humble group have produced a spellbinding evening of intrigue, conflict, elation and despair which captivated the small first night audience, of which I was privileged to be a member.
Peter Bloor’s Salieri guides us through the history of Mozart’s rise and demise with wonderful pathos as he begs our forgiveness and understanding; the performance is a tour de force, and it is beautifully supported by Richard Oliver’s quirky, energetic, unconventional and charming Mozart. Indeed, there is a strong sense of ensemble and shared purpose by the whole cast; director Anne Bloor has led her team quite brilliantly. There is no weakness anywhere in this production, from set design right through to make up.
This is a rare gem. Yes, it’s an amateur company, but the performances and production values are equal to many professional productions, and, allied to a mighty script, make for a moving evening. Nights like this are the reason why I fell in love with theatre. Thank you, BCP.