Review: The Fabulist, Charing Cross Theatre

Review: The Fabulist, Charing Cross Theatre

Summary

Rating

60

Good

A light-hearted, enjoyable operetta which is a reworking of an 18th-century composition. There’s a bit of magic, a lot of silliness and really well-performed music.

Itinerant magician friends Julian aka Agrofontido (Dan Smith) and Pupuppini (Constantine Andronikou) stumble upon a film set and persuade the film Director, Cassandra (Lily De La Haye), and the writer, her sister Clarice (Reka Jonas), to hire them as extras in exchange for food. The two friends fall for the sisters, have to overcome some obstacles (disapproving male relatives, tasks to prove their worthiness, that kind of thing), and it all works out in the end.  

A reworking of an opera written in the 18th century, this version is based in late 1920s Italy.  Mussolini is in power, the church have ever-increasing power over culture and education and they really, really don’t like magicians, or ‘Fabulists’ as they call themselves. Of course, Cassandra and Clarice’s Uncle Bandini (Stuart Pendred) happens to be a cardinal (who missed out on Pope by one vote by the way) and their father, Count Petronius (James Paterson), is a scientist who considers magicians to be unreliable frauds totally unworthy of his daughter’s hand in marriage.

David Shields’ visually interesting stage provides the perfect setting, with its fantasy style clouds and trees, giant doorway, telescope, solar system models and other objects adding to the science vs. magic aspect.

Apparently composer Giovani Paisiello was influenced both Mozart and Rossini, and you can certainly hear that in the music performed by a quintet in a tiny balcony, who really do it justice. The cast are all very experienced, which shows in their performances. De La Haye and Pendred have the best voices and the ensemble pieces are enjoyable although some numbers are a bit too repetitive. One song in particular seems to consist entirely of Clarice and Petronius saying “No I won’t” – “Yes, you will.”

There are magic tricks of course – they are Fabulists after all – executed really well by Smith, who is a member of The Magic Circle. De La Haye and Jonas have the best chemistry on stage. They portray a very believable sibling rivalry, with constant niggly snide remarks and full blown arguments immediately forgotten in the face of outside interference.

When Bandolini makes his entrance he is resplendent in Calvary Red and shades. Count Petronius is made to look a bit ‘mad scientist’ and there is a fair bit of slapstick silliness. It’s all a bit pantoesque but still fun, and coupled with the one-liners adds up to a light-hearted, amusing couple of hours. The production suits the small venue where you can see and hear everything from every seat, and there is no need for surtitles. This is a show worth going to if you fancy seeing some light opera without taking out a second mortgage.

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Book & Lyrics by: James P. Farwell

Music by: Giovanni Paisello

Directed by: John Walton

Musical Direction & Orchestration by: Bobby Goulder

Set & Costume Designed by: David Shields

Lighting Designed by: Fridthjofur Thorsteinsson

Sound Designed by: Andrew Johnson

Movement Direction by: Sean Kempton

Magic Consultant: Harry De Cruz

Casting Direction by: Debbie O’Brien

Produced by: Steven M Levy for Charing Cross Theatre Productions

The Fabulist plays at Charing Cross Theatre until 21st September. Further information and booking are available here.