FringeReview UK 2024

The Fabulist

Charing Cross Theatre

Genre: Magic, Music, Musical Theatre, Opera and Operatic Theatre

Venue: Charing Cross Theatre

Festival: FringeReview UK

Low Down

Review

The original version of this opera was apparently a tableau, i.e. a motionless exploration of a story. There is nothing static about this version of Paisiello’s opera Gli astrologi immaginari. James P. Farwell rewrote the libretto in English and removed the recitatives making The Fabulist effectively a Singspiel; a play with songs. There is certainly lots of lovely singing, mostly ensembles, and plenty of action in this show. It is also incredibly funny with lots of satire and has some quite stunning magic. There are enough tricks in this production for a magic show.

The basis of the story is very much heart over mind. The enjoyment comes from the wonderful way this theme is explored. Farewell has moved the story forward to Mussolini’s Italy, just after the Concordat and added lots of jokes at the Fascists’ and church’s expense. The latter feeling rather personal and one wonders if Farwell has himself a bone to pick with Rome. The satire hits non the less. The audience enjoyed themselves tremendously. I saw a matinee with children and seniors taking refuge in the air-conditioned Charing Cross Theatre from the late August heat. They all seemed to have a great time.

Not surprising considering the lovely sets, props and costumes by David Shields. It is immediately apparent that lots of thought went into the feel of the production and there are lots of small details that one notices as the show progresses. This is a production one could probably see a few times and still discover something new. Shields’ costume very much help to establish the character of the dramatis personae.

It took me a few moments to figure out whether Lily de la Hayes was playing a female or male character – it is 18th century opera after all and gender is a very fluid concept in baroque and early classical opera. She did look extremely sharp in her suit and very confidently ordered people about on her 1929 film set. However, it became quickly clear that she was the daughter of Count Petronius (James Paterson) and sister to the glamour-puss Clarice sung by Réka Jónás. All three in different degrees anti-fascist with Cassandra emulating her Trojan name sake by spelling out doom under Il Duce’s regime.

There are few arias in this opera but luckily both de la Hayes and Jónás were allowed to show off the quality of their very different sopranos in their respective solos. Their voices also blended beautifully in their duets, with both mastering at times difficult coloratura, and as the only women in the cast they were securely soaring above the male voices in the ensembles. De la Hayes has a beautiful fruity lyric soprano that suited the grounded Cassandra very well. Jónás has a confident bright coloratura that was secure to the very top and she clearly loved showing it off.

The role of Julian/Agrofontido was taken by James Holten who really must be congratulated on his magic skills. The Illusion Designer, Harry de Cruz, used any imaginable moment to make the Fabulist of the title (aka magician) live up to his name. Holten executed every trick with much skill, while still delivering lines or more often singing in a sweet tenor voice. His sidekick Pupuppini (that is not a typo) was taken by the buffo tenor Constantine Andronikou, who clearly enjoyed every moment. While Julian woos for the haughty beauty Clarice, who slowly falls for him, but is unwilling to admit it till the very end, Pupuppini develops a massive crush on the sapiosexual Cassandra. There is some chemistry between them, but as the curtain falls nothing has happened. Since Catherine the Great, whose favourite opera this apparently was, failed to commission a part two it is left to our imagination what happens between the bossy film director Cassandra and the food-loving Pupuppini.

Paterson plays the girls’ father as lovingly indulgent and maybe a bit out of his depth. The daughters certainly can cast rings around the science loving Count Petronius, who looks more than just a bit like Einstein. He knows what he needs to do to safe the family from the church, the fascists and financial ruin, but he can’t get his daughters in line. Well, not without forcing them and he is a man of reason. The girls’ uncle Cardinal Bandini, played as a self-loving, unprincipled mafiaesque villain by Stuart Pendred, on the other hand is very different. He has no problem using force, deception and subterfuge to get what he wants. Pendred clearly loved playing this character and did so with much gusto. The OTT-ness of this character alone was a criticism of the RC church. The contrast between these two mature men worked very well in the context of this opera.

The small band of two violins (Eliza Burkitt and Eloise MacDonald), cello (Josie Campbell) and flute/clarinet (Fraser Patterson) was lead in very classical style from the keyboard. The musicians sat on the left balcony so I couldn’t see whether it was Samuel Woolf or Varia Doletskaya-Pidgen who was conducting when I was in. Whoever it was did an amazing job. The orchestra played in tune throughout and never overpowered the singers, but supported them through their often taxing music. At times I thought it was a shame that both band and singers were amplified until a train noisily rumbled out of Charing Cross station right above us.

Farwell decided to call this version a musical, but the music retains much of its classical characteristics and stays faithful to Paisiello’s music. I would argue it is an opera with a new libretto. There is a distinctive panto feel about this show with exaggerated cross dressing and a caricature villain, political jokes and jaunty tunes. It also can be enjoyed by the whole family making it an ideal introduction to opera for those new to the art form of any age. Highly recommend for a fun night out.

Published September 1, 2024 by Tamara Stein