Tête à Tête Opera Festival 2024 Review: The Improvesarios, Cockpit Theatre

Farcical improv group put fringe opera back on the map

By Mahima Macchione
(Photo Credit: Claire Shovelton /@claireshov)

“Impresarios” don’t come any more entertaining than this. Simultaneously improv artists and opera singers, this young opera company direct, produce, stage manage, perform and (at least in part) promote all their work, making them a real fringe wonder. Their schtick is all about creating a full, one-hour-long opera – or, as some have called it, “60 minutes of mayhem” – on the spot. The results are perhaps best summarized by their motto: “Endlessly Creative. No idea too weird.”

On stage, the talent was clear, as they moved the story forward with a barrage of brilliant and bonkers ideas. They are masters of the craft of improvisation and had a real knack for keeping a compelling narrative going, weaving in and referencing earlier parts of the story – generated live – while constantly keeping the standards high on the originality front, both musically and in the storytelling. The whole operatic romp was artfully accompanied by Dominic Bentham on the piano.

First up was soprano Becca Madden who introduced the rules of the game for the evening: the audience would be consulted on how to move the action forwards. Through a quick voting session, it was decided the initial location for this modern-day opera would be an abattoir. We first encountered Stephen Brown (a Heldentenor) in a solo piece as The Butcher in the midst of a life crisis, fantasizing about a different career.

He was suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door: Madden appears as a young girl looking for a job, soon to become his Apprentice. From then on, in a quick-witted succession of musical exchanges with Brown – the air of absurdity intensified by the paper swords they were both holding – we witnessed a sustained scene of chopping and slicing between butcher and apprentice, including preparation of sausages for Aldi. By popular demand, the name of the show became “Entrails.”

In swift succession we were transported to a library, where the mezzo Rebecca Chandler stole the scene with an uproarious characterization of the vegan librarian “Penelope.” By her side in various memorable improvised duets, including “Poor animals,” was Emily Linane as the butcher’s aunt in search of literature on farmyard animals. It’s got to be said that it takes genuine talent to make real comedy out of a library scene. Last but not least was the closing piece set in Spain, where we were treated to Brown now in his new career as a toreador (the bullfighting scenes expertly crafted by Chandler as the bull) and some hilariously exaggerated – and inspired – flamenco, before they closed the evening with a stylish quartet.

If their idea is to change the public’s perception of opera as a stuffy affair, as I was briefed by Brown post-show, they might be on to something. Either way, on offer here was the sort of deliciously unorthodox opera performance the world desperately needs more of.

 

 

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