Tag: review

REVIEW: Porn Play

Published on by fbalchinLeave a comment

Rating: 3 out of 5.

“More cerebral than visceral, the performances and visuals elevate a promising script that builds up to an unsatisfying climax.”

This is not a play about porn. This is a play about addiction, grief and misogyny. 

Ani (played by Ambika Mod) is a successful young academic whose career is on the rise whilst her personal life is in freefall. Overwhelmed by her mother’s death, she is unable to take pride in her professional achievements or consider her future. Cutting through this downward spiral is her addiction to violent pornography which infiltrates every aspect of her life. It affects all her relationships. 

There are two elements to her descent into addiction- the frequency of use and the content she watches. The frequency is addressed throughout, eventually leading to a spectacular scene where realism and absurdism blur perfectly. What is less explored is the content. It is never made clear why she is into violent pornography, nor what it is. For some people it is bondage and humiliation, for others it is breaking and bruising skin or even criminal acts.

Every single actor is committed to their roles, every character utterly convincing and believable. My issue lies in the promise of the premise. This is an 18+ show called Porn Play. I was made to wear shoe covers, leading me to think there would be some sort of splash zone. I expected there to be nudity, maybe projections, images or otherwise of sexual acts. I expected it to be provocative, if not downright shocking. When I tell you I saw more nudity in Disney’s Frozen musical I am not joking. This play could be about any addiction. I understand why it is about pornography- and the feminist angle is intriguing. However it feels like a gimmick (“clit-bait”, you could say) to use such a salacious title and then never explore it. Sure, it’s a distraction from processing grief. Sure, the Milton and biblical metaphors makes sense. But it feels like the writer misses a huge opportunity to actually explore Ani’s base desires. At first I was convinced she just needed a new partner to indulge in a healthy BDSM sex life. Then when the pivotal scene with student Sam takes place, we learn that she doesn’t want the same thing she watches. The scene isn’t shocking because of the vanilla bondage (belt tying her hands, blindfold on). It’s shocking because it exposes Sam’s desire for violence rather than Ani’s desire for submissiveness and humiliation.  

Yimei Zhao’s set is sensational. A beige 70s style conversation pit which evokes a vulva with the action taking place in the clitoris. Various props and set pieces emerge from the “labia” to almost comedic effect- at one point a medical examination table emerges. 

The play is both too much and too little. The heavy handed literary and religious references are expositional to the point of banality, whilst there is not much actual sexual content that isn’t a hint or reference. The show, sad and poignantly anticlimactic, is basically a metaphor for Ani herself- we never once see her orgasm. Constantly interrupted for various appropriate and bleak reasons, she is never allowed to find release. 

More cerebral than visceral, Sophia Chetin-Leuner’s treatise on addiction and isolation is a cleverly written play with plenty of promise that needs to stop edging its audience and show us what it really wants to say. 

REVIEW: Julius Caesar

Published on by Rose-Charles RajLeave a comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

“A provocative and beautiful celebration of culture through the decolonization and reimagining of Julius Caesar”

Decolonizing Shakespeare and rooting it in African influences is such a beautiful and bold premise and this production brings that vision to life with power and intention. Tangle Theatre bridges the gap between what we think Shakespeare is and the reality of contemporary human bodies on stage today, creating an amalgamation of culture, strength, and undeniable presence.

Julius Caesar is a story built on power, relationships, and betrayal. Yet Shakespeare often feels inaccessible to many because of its antiquated language and the rigid tradition surrounding how it’s “supposed” to be performed.

Tangle Theatre pushes back against that. They champion excellence and accessibility at every turn. Allowing each actor to keep their natural accent and vocal identity creates a geographical vortex that reinforces just how global and ongoing the political commentary of Julius Caesar truly is.

The sound design by Khallil Madovi and the score by John Pfumojena are a gorgeous fusion of European and African musical textures, perfectly mirroring the Afro-Italian inspiration behind the production.

The cast of five is phenomenal. Samater Ahmed, who joined the run mid-way, delivers a deeply holistic Mark Antony, confident in language, intentional with the audience, and fully attuned to each moment. Roland Royal II embodies a power-hungry Caesar with clarity, and his brief turn as Cinna the Poet is sharp and effective. Remiel Farai’s Brutus carries a steady honor, grounding the production with presence and stability . 

Samya De Meo is a powerhouse. As the only woman on stage, she commands attention effortlessly. Casting Cassius as a woman offers a fascinating layer to the dynamic. Caesar’s dismissiveness lands differently, exposing the long, ongoing history of belittling women paralleling our contemporary world and the way women are viewed despite their power and intelligence.  De Meo’s portrayals of Cassius, Portia, and Calpurnia are each distinct and deeply felt. Her Italian heritage enriches every role, raising the stakes and shaping the world of the play. The moment Cassius chooses death and freedom is one of the production’s most gripping scenes, carried entirely by DeMeo’s emotional precision.

Another standout is Yaw Osafo-Kantaka as the Soothsayer. His use of Twi, an Akan language spoken in Ghana, is a revelation. The production proves that audiences don’t need every line translated into English to understand or connect. His physicality and freedom of movement communicate everything essential as he invites the audience as an extension of his performance. 

We often walk into the theatre believing we must understand every word to understand the story. This decolonized Julius Caesar dismantles that idea, showing that Shakespeare can be accessible without bending everything toward English or traditional norms. Seeing Black and Brown bodies at the center of this world is excellence in its purest form. The audience was beautifully diverse, yet united in celebration of the work.

This blending of culture, power, and beauty is exactly what the theatre world needs more of. The production makes it abundantly clear that the future of theatre must cast a wider net, integrating and elevating global cultures. Shakespeare can still be honored as one of the world’s most influential writers, but we can, and should, reimagine his work in ways that reflect the diversity of the contemporary world.

Keep an eye on this cast, they are the embodiment of Tangle Theatre’s message “championing African and Carribean artistic excellence”.

IN CONVERSATION WITH: Dara Dubh

Published on by ayoungishperspective1Leave a comment

We sat down for a quick chat with Dara Dubh, who will be performing a set of brand new music from her forthcoming album, plus a few favourites from her popular back catalogue, at Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.

What can audiences expect from your Soundhouse Winter Festival set this year?
Audiences can look forward to a dynamic mix of music with a little something for everyone. I love exploring different genres and placing the harp at the heart of everything I do. My goal is to showcase the instrument freshly and unexpectedly—challenging how people typically see and hear the harp.

How has your sound evolved since you started performing with Toni McVey, Eve Simpson, and Brad Phillips?

    Performing with a live band lets me expand my music in ways my usual one-woman loop pedal setup simply can’t. There’s nothing quite like sharing the stage with incredibly talented musicians—who also happen to be wonderful friends. It’s more fun, more spontaneous, and gives us the freedom to feed off each other’s energy while connecting more with the audience. Playing with Eve, Toni, and Brad has brought the show to life in such an engaging and joyful way—hopefully, the audience has just as much fun as we do!

    Are there any particular themes or stories behind your new tracks you’ll be debuting at the festival?
    I’m in the middle of recording my debut album right now. The album, and my performance at Soundhouse Winter Festival, explore stories of strong, powerful women and draw on my upbringing in a small Irish town. It’s very storytelling-driven, mixing real experiences with a few completely “Dara-made-up” tales. I’m so excited to share one or two brand-new, never-played-live tracks at this year’s festival. I have a feeling people might be a little surprised to hear the harp in this new sound with the band.

    How does performing in an intimate venue like the Traverse Theatre influence your connection with the audience?
    The Traverse is one of those venues that strikes the perfect balance between being intimate yet spacious. It’s the ideal setting for an attentive crowd, with just the right capacity to encourage real audience connection. It makes people feel like they’re part of the performance. When I’m in the audience, I love being able to see the musicians’ hands—the Traverse is perfect for that. I hope the audience feels that same sense of closeness and connection during the show.

    What role do Scottish roots and traditions play in your songwriting and live performances?
    Although I grew up in Ireland, I’ve built my music career in Scotland. It’s here in Edinburgh that I’ve really found my sound—playing in local pubs and blending my traditional Irish roots with the city’s eclectic Scottish music scene. My harp playing still carries all the traits of someone who grew up competing at the Fleadh Cheoil, and even in my singing, I hold on to traditional ornamentation and stay true to my own accent. Playing a traditional Scottish-Irish session on a Friday night in Sandy Bell’s will always be one of my favourite things—it never fails to inspire me. In fact, you might even hear a few nods to it in my songs.

    What are you most looking forward to about sharing the stage with such a diverse line-up of Scottish artists?
    Firstly, it’s an absolute pleasure to be part of such an incredible line-up of musicians. I have huge respect for Soundhouse and everything they do, so to play even a small part in WinterFest feels like a real privilege. I’m also really looking forward to sharing new music with everyone. Playing live is my favourite thing to do, and with this being my only full-band show in Edinburgh this year, I’m so happy to be sharing the stage with my pals and such a stellar line-up of artists, performing for a room full of wonderful music lovers. It’s going to be a class gig, and I’m hoping to catch some of the other acts over the weekend too!

      REVIEW: The League of Improv – With Guest Comedian Lou Sanders

      Published on by leahjLeave a comment

      Rating: 3 out of 5.

      A quick-fire evening of comedy based on details from the audience’s lives

      The League of Improv’s shows bring a celebrity host together with their small troupe of improvisers to create off-the-cuff scenes inspired (albeit very loosely) by audience interactions. This is a bold undertaking, particularly over a 2-hour time slot, and the challenge can vary wildly depending on the audience’s contributions. This month’s show featured Lou Sanders as the guest host, whose characteristic quirky humour gelled well with the troupe’s penchant for spinning audience details into a zany set of scenes.

      If you’ve never seen an improv show before, this improv format offers a relatively easy entry point: the host will chat with audience members, perhaps asking about their relationships or jobs, and then the improvisers will craft a few short scenes. The Phoenix Arts Club–the League of Improv’s new home–offers a cosy, intimate setting perfect for this interactive style. Lou Sanders’s easy-going, conversational style of comedy suited this role well, as she zeroed in on a variety of audience members’ unique relationships, from competitive mothers to a group of unusually friendly neighbours. The group has clearly developed an easy rhythm of tagging each other in and out of scenes, and occasionally prompting the actors in the current scene to jump forward or backward in time to help flesh out the storytelling. There were a few moments, though, where one character would refuse to get on board with another’s ideas or explanations, which set up a feeling of slightly unrealised potential within the scene. Of course, the old rule of ‘yes, and’ doesn’t need to apply to every single moment in an improv show, as that doesn’t always leave much room for conflict and tension between characters, but sometimes pulling the scene back towards what’s ‘realistic’ can hamstring an idea that might have been a fun flight of fancy.

      The highlights of the evening were a few really memorable improvised characters, ranging from a fraudulent restaurateur who changed the subject every time he was about to break into song, a coworker waxing poetic about his ‘platonic’ friend’s soulful eyes, and an unsettlingly lecherous cat. Granted, each show is unique, so these characters won’t make a reappearance, but the next show will have an entirely new set of scenes, no doubt populated with equally memorable figures. If you’re looking for some quick-fire laughs, bring some fun facts about yourself and see what magic might be created!

      REVIEW: Handle With Care

      Published on by robyncummings94Leave a comment

      Rating: 2 out of 5.

      A mysterious, unpredictable and silly social experiment that’s as reliant on its audience as it is determined to surprise them

      If you arrive at Handle with Care expecting a traditional piece of theatre – lights down, full cast, and the audience politely and quietly observing from the safety of their seats – you may be thrown slightly (or entirely) off-balance. Ontroerend Goed call the piece a theatre performance, but it’s closer to an interactive social experiment – one-part guided experience, one-part group psychology exercise, and one-part ‘what on earth is going on and why am I suddenly on a stage reading from a script I didn’t know I’d agreed to?’

      What makes Handle with Care such a challenge to describe, and even harder to review, is that the show is wholly shaped by the audience. There is a structure, and a sense of direction, but there is no fixed version of the show, and certainly no universal experience. The personalities within the group massively impact the direction of the show – which means that my version of the experience is not only unique, but entirely irreplicable. Any reviewer describing their experience can only offer one possible version, and in my case, I suspect that my experience was heavily impacted by the fact that I went alone.

      My group consisted of about 20 people, the large majority of whom already knew each other. They arrived buzzing, comfortable and immediately familiar in a way that really influenced the direction of the show. Whilst Handle with Care doesn’t require you to attend with someone else – and the group was perfectly friendly and welcoming – your enjoyment is undeniably shaped by the group dynamic, and being surrounded by a per-existing social circle made it difficult to get involved in quite the same way. Whilst the experience didn’t resonate with me personally, I can easily imagine that going with friends would shift the whole thing into something more silly and joyful.

      Because this is a show that’s best experienced with minimal prior knowledge, I won’t go into much detail about the structure or ‘plot’ (a word that applies here only in the loosest sense). The gist is this: you arrive at the theatre and there’s no actors, no technicians – just a box in the middle of the stage, and an excited audience. Control is then handed over to the attendees – to open the box and react to the contents. 

      An important thing to be aware of is that the show’s marketing suggests that you can choose your level of participation, whereas in reality it’s expected that everyone should get involved at least a little. Nobody sits comfortably on the sidelines. Our whole group found ourselves on stage multiple times – sometimes en masse, sometimes individually, sometimes reading from scripts, sometimes performing small solo tasks. At one point I even found myself having to swap an item of clothing with a stranger. If the thought of reading aloud in front of strangers, being silly on demand, or participating in playful group tasks fills you with dread, this might not be the show for you. I managed it, but I was very aware of being ‘the lone attendee’, which did slightly dampen the fun.

      The most fascinating aspect of Handle with Care is its life beyond this performance. The show has taken place in cities across multiple countries, and we were reminded that our strange little hour was just one in a long chain of similar-yet-different experiences, each shaped by the specific quirks of the people involved. There’s an undeniable thematic thread of community, humanity and the idea of ‘connection’ running throughout the piece. I could see it clearly, even if the intended emotional punch didn’t quite land for me.

      Even with my mild reservations, I would still recommend the experience to anyone curious. Handle with Care is surprising from start to finish, and despite not personally connecting with it as deeply as the show intended, I was genuinely intrigued by how the mix of personalities steered the show. Watching who stepped forward, who held back, who stirred the pot – all of that was compelling in a way that a scripted show could never be.Is it for everyone? Absolutely not. If the idea of being silly on a stage in front of strangers makes you cringe, you might find the hour more stressful than exciting. But if you’re someone who enjoys being on stage, likes to be surprised, and watches a show like Taskmaster and thinks they’d love to have a go, then Handle with Care might be exactly your kind of experience. And if you bring along a few friends, you might leave with a story you’ll be talking about for weeks.

      REVIEW: Handle With Care

      Published on by ayoungishperspective1Leave a comment

      Rating: 4 out of 5.

      A profound experience of shared presence

      Handle with Care was created by Ontroerend Goed, a boundary-pushing theatre ensemble from Belgium. Known for works like The Smile Off Your Face and Once and For All, they have once again brought their otherworldly imagination and daring experimentation to the stage. Handle With Care is a show with no actors and no technicians—only a box of props and instructions. Is a “performance” about to happen? Or has the event already begun?

      The show, at its core, is about a sense of togetherness. It explores our co-existence with people geographically far away from us, or even years apart in time, who nonetheless share the same process with the audience on the night of the performance. Furthermore, it is about the togetherness with the people in the same room—those who chose to be there and to experience this project collectively. It’s about connection across different places, and it’s about working together as a community.

      By having no performers and making the audience the actors who push the process forward, Handle With Care dismantles the entire watching-being-watched relationship and the power dynamic so embedded in theatre spaces. People suddenly start talking to each other, cheering for each other, and teaming up to solve the same tasks. The barriers between the stage and the audience, as well as those between the audience members, are taken down. People become a community, a team, a group of one, sharing the space and effort with each other but also the memories and connection with others from the past. After the show, what they create on the night would be shipped back to the OG office and delivered to another performance destination – the cycle continues.

      In a post-COVID time when spaces often feel segregated, the piece’s mission to rediscover the meaning of here, now, and together carries special weight. Even after the show ends, people linger to discuss what happened and what could have happened. Someone started a list so the audience could gather again to finish the final project. The show carries on, as the connections among the participants have already been made.

      Handle With Care offers a special theatrical experience that is both forward-looking in its eco-aware, minimalist design and yet also deeply rooted in the core origin of theatre: a group of people gathering to make stories happen. It is another testament to Ontroerend Goed’s brilliant creativity, and a quiet, simple, yet profound reminder of the importance of shared presence.

      REVIEW: Old Fat Fuck Up

      Published on by Rose-Charles RajLeave a comment

      Rating: 4 out of 5.

      Intimate, personal and a accurate dive into our shared experiences as humans

      This piece’s entire power sits in its title. It’s an intimate show about the human condition and the experience of many men, the collision of rage, power, emotional vulnerability, and the weight of what we think we’re supposed to be in our societal roles.

      In this generation of theatre, we are constantly breaking the fourth wall and inviting audiences in. What Olly Hawes does with finesse and expertise is not just break that wall, but completely remove the idea of one. He demystifies the relationship between actor and audience, openly acknowledging the premise of “a show” and interacting with us in ways that feel both personal and incredibly engaging.

      What really stands out is Olly’s gift for storytelling and communication. His stories live fully in his body, alive, physical, and honest. He doesn’t need much to transport an audience, and he does it beautifully. His writing is vivid yet explicit in what it tries to depict. As the story creates an interesting parallel to Olly as an actor, the audiences are constantly attempting to define what is real and what is fiction.

      One of the show’s most compelling aspects is Oly’s willingness to interrogate his own positionality and privilege. He consistently acknowledges the external perception of himself as a white, middle-class man and confronts the complexities of privilege and self-victimisation. Each time a question arises, Why this story? Why him?, he addresses it head-on, folding that awareness into the fabric of the performance.

      All together, the piece is raw and deeply human, a pertinent look at the messy nature of the psyche and the role men occupy. It’s a beautiful story laced with humour and moments that are genuinely visceral.

      It isn’t a piece for everyone; it’s a confession-driven, sharply personal work. But I believe we create theatre as a way to tell stories that are personal to us, and O;ly is direct, deliberate, and unafraid in how he delivers his.

      IN CONVERSATION WITH: Elf Lyons

      Published on by ayoungishperspective1Leave a comment

      Elf Lyons is bringing The Bird Trilogy and Horses to Soho Theatre from Friday 12th Dec and Wednesday 7th January. Tickets available HERE and HERE.

      The Bird Trilogy takes audiences from ballet to economics to horror — what connects these wildly different worlds within your surreal comic universe?

      Same way that you have a myriad of different interests, emotions and ideas that all collate to make you. We are all diamonds and depending on how the light hits us, we refract differently. It’s sort of the same with these. Each one is quintessentially me, but they are all me at different times of the day and in different states of play.  Swan is pure silliness, ChiffChaff is much more thoughtful and melancholic and Raven is much more cathartic and rageful.

      Your work often dances between comedy, theatre, and clowning — how do you balance the joy of chaos with the discipline that makes it all land so precisely?

      That is the art to be a professional i think? You have to be disciplined so the audience can trust you to take them to those silly places and to those more obscure scenic routes creatively. If they have any inkling that you are just ‘feeling it out’ and just ‘chasing the vibe’, like snails, the audience retract into their shells and it is much harder to get them back out to go on the journey with you.  I hate hate hate hate hate it when I meet someone who just says “I’m just gonna see what happens”. NO. have a sodding plan. Land the plane. 

      Horses has been described as the first-ever comedy show performed entirely by a horse – where did that idea spring from, and what does it reveal about play and imagination in adulthood?

      The idea made my sister laugh, it made me laugh, it made my agent put her head in her hands and laugh like an exhausted mother and go “oh Elf….” and thus I thought “well, I have to do this now”. 

      Across your career, you’ve reimagined everything from classical art forms to financial systems — what keeps you returning to the challenge of making the cerebral feel ridiculous and human?

      It may seem odd, but it doesn’t feel like a challenge. When I make shows, I am genuinely just trying to make the most logical choices to make the show as good and as fun and as exciting as it can be and making creative choices that I think are interesting and honest.  When I made Swan, I didn’t think it was a clown show. I genuinely thought (and do still think) that it is an incredibly accurate, concise and clear explanation of the story of Swan Lake – and because of that, and my belief, it makes it clown, because apparently the ideas I have are, in the words of my friend Garry Starr, “Totally idiot”. 

      Your comedy often celebrates the absurd while tackling serious ideas — how do you decide which truths to smuggle inside the silliness?

      They are never smuggled. I think we learn more about people through what they love, and we connect with them more through their specialist interests – and that sharing of joy is a beautiful state to collectively be in as a performer and audience, and means you can build trust to take them to more dynamic emotional places. All my shows start with a ‘absurd’ concept or subject I find interesting, and then I extrapolate and go from there… Choosing to reveal information about yourself must always be in the benefit of the audience, helping them with THEIR life, and if I don’t feel like divulging information about me helps that, then I don’t do it. Same with serious ideas. 

      With The Bird Trilogy and Horses arriving back-to-back at Soho Theatre, what do these shows say about where you are now as a performer, artist, and fearless mischief-maker?

      Unrelentingly exhausted, exhilarated, lucky, thankful and caffeinated. 

      REVIEW: Tina:The Musical

      Published on by CaitlinTodd_PetrieLeave a comment

      Rating: 5 out of 5.

      The cast just keeps on burning

      Caitlin Todd-Petrie

      Making its UK and Ireland tour debut, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical arrived at the Edinburgh Playhouse this week, and what a phenomenal show it is. From start to finish, this incredible multi-talented cast put on a spectacular musical origin story of Anna Mae Bulock, best known as the Queen of Rock’ n’ Roll, Tina Turner, played by Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuki for Wednesday’s performance and what a show she put on from start to finish. Her energy, stage presence, and shifts in emotions were just phenomenal, and her ability to show Tina growing over the years, from seventeen to her forties, was flawless through the way she held herself.

       One of the younger cast members who deserves a special mention is Lola McCourtie as young Anna Mae Bulock; the performance, energy and vocals from McCourtie were just amazing to watch from the minute the curtain went up all the way to the end. To be able to process and truly understand what Tina went through growing up before her teenage years was shown through her performance in the best way.

      Similar to fellow castmate Mariah Martinez, who took to the stage as young Alline Bullock and young Craig, some of the scenes with the younger characters involved were so hard to watch, yet to be able to go out there and do them to the best of your ability even if they are uncomfortable situations to renact, it takes a lot of bravery to do these themes and issues shown especially as young Craig. Martinez playing both roles that face difficult situations, I applaud her for her bravery in taking on the role.

      David King-Yombo plays Ike Turner, and what a brilliant yet frightening performance it was to watch on stage from his first entrance to his final scene. King-Yombo, alongside Ma-Kinga N’Zuki, made the show incredibly engaging by bouncing off each other and understanding what really happened between Ike and Tina over the years. King-Yombo aged up his character through his appearance and stage presence also didn’t go unnoticed throughout. He was the villain we just loved to hate throughout the show, and he did an incredible job at the role.

      This show filled with glitz and glamour, is all down to the ensemble keeping up with our lead roles and their energy and togetherness. There were some minor prop difficulties on the night; however, the cast were able to react quickly like it were part of the show. with a cast full of credits such as SIX, The Lion King, Moulin Rouge! And Heathers, to name a few, this cast knows how to put on quite the show, making this my new favourite jukebox musical and what a biographical musical should look like. The choreography and fight choreography, as well, from the team of Anthony van Laast, Kate Waters and Simone Mistry-Palmer was breathtaking. You can tell a lot of thought and care went into the show’s movement, and it did not go unnoticed.

      Finally, a special mention to Isaac Elder as Rodger Davies, with a range of many different characters and accents throughout the show, his performance as the Australian music producer now lives in my mind rent-free for some reason, and he did a phenomenal job as the character.

      If you’re in Edinburgh this weekend looking for something to do, then please go to this brilliant show at the Playhouse or check to see if it is touring in a theatre near you in 2026.

      REVIEW: Opera North: La Bohème

      Published on by ljgortzak1 Comment

      Rating: 5 out of 5.

      A universally resonant revival of a timeless classic

      Puccini’s ‘La Bohème’ – one of the most well-known and frequently performed works in the entire operatic repertoire – is the latest production by Opera North to grace the Lowry, returning after the popularity of previous runs. Presented as a series of vignettes centred on a group of young, struggling Bohemians in Paris, this 4-act opera is an emotional rollercoaster from the first to the last.

      Phyllida Lloyd’s acclaimed take on La Bohème breathes an invigorating life into a story originally set in the 1830s, a time that anyone attending an opera today will have little to no context for. Accordingly, Lloyd updates the setting to something more in line with what a modern audience might typically associate with the word “Bohemian” – the 1960s.

      Motorcycles, leather jackets, fingerless glove, Parisian cafes, pop art adorning the walls of paint-splattered art-studios – in terms of the costuming and set-design, it’s all there. From the opening curtain of the first act, the audience already has a strong sense of the types of characters and scenes that will tug on their heartstrings for the next 2 hours.  Updating the setting in this way is a crucial step in helping the audience to connect with the characters, which is top priority for an opera with the intense emotional drive of La Bohème.

      The first act sets up the lives of struggling poet Rodolfo, and his artist friends as they try to make rent and keep warm in the cold Parisian winter. The performances were immediately inviting and packed with humour, every subtle action and exchanged look acting as a window into the nature of the relationships between this long-time group of friends.

       After his friends leave, Rodolfo unexpectedly encounters the female lead Mimi, leading into the famous aria ‘Che gelida manina’ (Your tiny hand is frozen) – in which he introduces himself – followed by Mimì’s ‘Mi chiamano Mimì’ (They call me Mimì).

      The vocal performances for these arias were sublime – Anthony Ciaramitaro delivered a robust tenor as Rodolfo, captivating the audience with his stage presence. The subsequent breathtaking performance by Olivia Boen as Mimì was one of the high points of the show for me. Hearing the stirring delivery of emotional swells (“But when springtime comes… the first rays of sunshine are mine”) carried by the torrential force of the incredible orchestra, I caught myself realising (being new to opera) – “Oh… so this is why people love it.”

      The second act – set in a lively cafe in a town square – I particularly noted for the energy present on stage at all times. Large crowds of shoppers, children, diners and our main characters flow through and around each other seamlessly, with hundreds of small interactions happening in the background simultaneously to the main performances, giving the whole scene an authenticity and liveliness that’s easy to get absorbed into.

      Here we were also introduced to Musetta, a strong, independent leopard-print-coat-wearing diva, whose performance by Elin Pritchard brings an extra comically flamboyant punch to the production.

      In this way, the first two acts play much like a rom-com, which makes the tragedy of the final two all the more devastating. The individual performances of the talented cast all come together to deliver a heart-wrenching finale, which is bound to give even the most stoic audience member a lump in their throat.

      La Boheme isoften recommended to newcomers to opera for the accessibility and universality of its libretto and music and, frankly, I couldn’t think of a better way to dip your toes into this incredible art form than Opera North’s unforgettable production of this classic.