Category: Mary Woodward Review

***** (5 stars)

“What a joy!” 

A packed town hall enjoyed Scottish Opera at its best – bringing the thrills and terrors of opera “where you are” and holding the audience captive with a pared-down but emotionally full-fat performance of not one but two major operas by Verdi and Donizetti.

Scottish Opera’s pop-up operas are most frequently performed in the open air, using a specially adapted trailer which provides the performers, at least, with a bit of shelter from the elements.  Today we had the luxury of an indoor venue – and some shelter from the sweltering heat outside.

The pop-up formula is simple: two singers, two musicians, and a narrator tell the story and perform some of the music from an opera.  What makes it fascinating for me is the skill with which the essence of the story is extracted from the wealth of detail that surrounds it, and the choices that have to be made about which bits of music are chosen to bring the narrative to life.

It was even more fascinating to me with Rigoletto and Elixir, because both of them have a central role for a tenor – the villain in the former and the hero in the latter.  No tenor her, but a soprano, Holly Teague, and a baritone, Colin Murray, between them playing a wide range of parts.  In Rigoletto the baritone got to sing the really famous tenor aria La donna è mobile [lucky man!] but Nemorino’s challengingly high aria from Elixir [una furtiva lagrima] was given to the cello, whose emotionally nuanced rendition was, for me, one of the high spots of the evening.

Rigoletto is the court jester to the womanising Duke of Mantua.  Rigoletto’s daughter, Gilda, is the duke’s latest object of desire.  Rigoletto plans to have his master assassinated but it all goes horribly wrong when Gilda chooses to offer herself to the assassin’s blade – she still loves the duke though she knows he’s a bastard.  The father of one of the duke’s earlier conquests cursed Rigoletto – the jester realises that the curse has struck.

In Elixir clumsy, not-over-bright Nemorino is hopelessly in love with the clever, witty and beautiful Adina, who has no time for him.  Dr Dulcamara, a travelling mountebank comes to the village peddling his magic elixir, the cure for absolutely everything.  Nemorino has overheard Adina telling the villagers the story of Tristan and Isolde, and demands that Dulcamara sells him some of the Isolde’s magic potion.  Under its influence [cheap red wine] his changed behaviour intrigues Adina.  A flirtatious recruiting officer, a gossiping best friend, more elixir, and a sudden inheritance contribute to a happy-ever-after ending – with some gloriously lively music surrounding the outpourings of emotion from the love-lorn hero.

Colin Murray was having a field day with so many opportunities to display his superb mastery of character and ability to reach out and engage us in the dramas played out before us.  In Rigoletto he was not only the jester but also the wretchedly miserable father, Monterone, the determinedly professional assassin Sparafucile – and to crown it all, got to sing the Duke’s truly memorable signature tune.  He didn’t get to sing Nemorino’s big aria, but had enormous fun with other bits of our hero’s part while also swaggering as self-appreciative recruiting officer Belcore and pulling everyone’s strings [except Adina’s!] as Dr Dulcamara. 

Holly Teague was an impressive Gilda – face, voice, and body language all expressing the young woman’s tentative first forays into the world of love; her deep love and compassion for her father, who still deeply loves her long-dead mother; her shame at her treatment at the hands of the duke, her anguish at his betrayal and, despite all this, her inability to stop loving him and so choose to sacrifice herself to save his life.  Power, richness, delicacy, subtlety and perfect control of the quietest notes were all here – I hope Holly gets to sing the complete role very soon.  As Adina we had a very different woman: confident and in control, sure of herself and determined to get someone better than the stupid peasant boy who sighs over her from afar…  how wrong she is!  And she realises this, and acts with determination, and gets her man [and takes a little bit of time en route to be the gossiping Gianetta who spreads the good news of Nemorino’s sudden and unexpected change in fortune.

Dani Heron’s storytelling was utterly brilliant.  Totally immersed in the action, not just observing from the sidelines: playing some of the characters, commenting wryly on the situations, always totally engaged and engaging, she kept us enthralled all evening.  I particularly appreciated her feisty weegie take on Elixir’s narration.   Allan Dunn’s brilliant narratives struck the perfect balance between translating from the original Italian and creating superbly witty and memorable language.   A friend brought her ten-year-old son and his friend: they were gripped throughout, particularly loved Elixir, and have been talking about their solves being problemed ever since!

And oh gosh the skills of the two musicians!  It was a joy to watch guitarist Sasha Savalone and cellist Andrew Drummond Huggan’s involvement in the music and their total attention to the singers.  I never cease to marvel at the extremely clever arrangements of the richly emotive scores written for a large-scale orchestra.  Sasha does a miraculous job of providing the total orchestral ‘backing’ for Andrew’s cello, which soars and pleads in Rigoletto and sings out true love and devotion in Elixir.  Andrew and Derek Clark as music directors have produced two wonderful scores, the stories entertainingly illustrated by Agnes Xantippa Boman [Rigoletto] and Essi Kimpimäki [Elixir]. 

Director Darren Brownlie has done a superb job with these twostrongly contrasting and superbly realised productions.  Applause at the end was loud, prolonged, and richly deserved!

Scottish Opera Pop-ups: A little bit of Rigoletto and A little bit of The Elixir of Love, Portobello Town Hall, Edinburgh run ended for outdoor dates and more information go to: Pop-up Opera 2026 | Scottish Opera

***** (5 stars)

“Deeply emotional”

What a treat!  After the powerful emotions of Cringe, Boys don’t dance is another deeply emotional piece, this time exploring the joy of dance and its power both to express deep emotions and to transcend physical limitations. 

The sheer beauty of the opening moments will stay with me for a long time.  A wheelchair dancer in front of a mirror begins their warmup at the barre: arm movements of profound grace and beauty captivated me.  Subtle lighting made the mirror both reflective and semi-transparent, making visible the standing dancer behind it who first reflects the first man’s movements and then starts to move the mirror itself, allowing the couple to move in perfect partnership around the floor.

Piotr Iwanicki has used a wheelchair all his life: Ross Malloy is able-bodied.  Both have danced from an early age, and together they bring choreographer and company leader Marc Brew’s own dance story to the stage.  Born in the Australian outback, where boys don’t dance but play football and do other ‘manly’ stuff, Marc would dance to any and every kind of music – but where no-one could see him.  Channel-hopping on the telly, he’d dance along to any song he could find, copying the dancers’ moves and exuberantly expressing the sheer joy of dance – stopping instantly if anyone was near.  When his mum was out at work, he’d explore the joys of dressing in female clothing, using the draping folds of fabric to emphasise the grace of his movements, rapidly reverting to ‘normality’ when she came home again.

A horrific car crash put Marc in a wheelchair.  Slowly he began to discover the possibilities of dancing on wheels – tentatively at first, but gradually developing confidence and skill and the ability once more to express his every emotion through dance.  Ross and Piotr join in a jaw-dropping display of the possibilities offered by a BMX bike and a wheelchair in addition to the equally staggering options open to an able-bodied dancer and a wheelchair user.  Words fail me as I try to describe the two men’s strength, agility, daring and complete trust in each other as they whirl gracefully around the dance floor and don’t shrink from hurtling towards and up the BMX trick ramp….

This production is an outstanding example of making a show accessible to as many people as possible.  On a screen at the back of the stage, a talking crow and a signing human provide explanations at key points in the narrative, while creative captions are projected on to a box near the front of the stage.  There are sensory warnings before the show begins, along with assurances that it’s okay to fidget, move about or leave if necessary.  Would that more shows paid this much attention to people’s differing needs!

In the brief Q&A that followed the show, the similarity between the two men was clear – both had danced from an early age despite the lack of dance in their surroundings.  I was fascinated to learn that Piotr was a European wheelchair dance champion, and that because he’d been dancing in his chair all his life, the thing he found hardest was learning to express hesitation and beginner’s movements with his chair.  Ross in his turn must have been hesitant at first when faced with the challenges of dancing with someone in a chair.  Both were eloquent about the trust and wordless communication necessary when dancing together, especially when things weren’t quite going according to plan.

Gene Kelly, in Singin’ in the Rain, has the memorable number gotta dance: Piotr and Ross display that same passion and drive in showing that boys definitely do dance.  This show is proof positive and will inspire anyone – even girls – to refuse to allow themselves to be told that they can’t.

Imaginate Children’s Festival Present Marc Brew Company, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Runs Ended However production will conclude its tour at The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen on Friday 5^th and Saturday 6^th June.

***** (5 stars)

“Graphically Portrayed”

Oh my what a visceral shocker, in the best possible way.  Scott Fletcher, Scott Hoatson and Kirsty McDuff belie their age to portray to perfection kids on their very first day at ‘big school’ as well as their schoolmates and the assorted adults in their lives.

Reid’s not only dealing with ordinary first-day feelings but also with his parents’ clever idea of moving house – and across the country – during the summer holidays, meaning that he doesn’t know a soul in this vast gaggle of kids waiting to be sorted into classes.  He’s trying to keep his head down, to stay unnoticed: it’s not his fault that he’s late into the first class and has to make a snap decision about which of the only two empty seats he sits in.  Boy or girl?  He chooses boy – and so meets Gordon.

The horrors of school are graphically portrayed – those inflicted, sometimes unwittingly, by staff and decidedly deliberately by fellow kids.  The worst come from the three class bullies, well known to Gordon but new to Reid, who marvels at Gordon’s ability quietly to ignore the taunts and insults that flood out from these three, whom he calls Gorgons.  Greek mythology, and especially Perseus, who rescues princess Andromeda from snake-haired Medusa and her fellow-gorgons, feature largely in the narrative and become the focus of a game Reid and Gordon develop together at home.

Things are becoming bearable: the Gorgons are beginning to tire of their taunting in the face of complete lack of reaction – but then disaster strikes.  An incident – with a major cringe factor – escalates and results in a total rift between the two friends.  If this were a perfect story, that would be the catalyst for a swift and supportive reaction from staff and parents – but this isn’t.  The incident’s consequences blow up out of control, a well-meaning attempt at reconciliation fails disastrously, and Reid isolates himself in his misery.  It takes an unconnected tragedy to bring about a movingly-portrayed reconciliation.  What is unexpected is the way Reid turns his great weakness into a towering strength which makes the start of year two so much better than year one.

The set resembles a school’s tiled changing room [facilitating much chalk writing and drawing as the narrative advances].  Five chairs are moved, and at times thrown, around to create different settings as the action moves at a cracking pace.  There’s brilliant use of an overhead projector – I loved the way it brought the Perseus game to life.  A set which at first sight looks virtually closed has an amazing number of exits and storage spaces for props.  The choreography and lighting are superb, and the rapid, wickedly accurate script brings the characters and narrative into vividly horrifying life.

Over two thirds of the audience were primary school leavers, and the most telling applause at the end came from them – they obviously recognised, felt with, and applauded the feelings of the characters in front of them.  Cringe is a brilliant show that deserves to be widely, hopefully sparking both discussion and thoughtful action around the nature of bullying and the power of true friendship.

Imaginate children’s festival presents Cringe, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, Run ended

**** (4 stars)

“A tale of sheer bloody-mindedness”

In 1981 I was living in England, bringing up two small children, and like everyone else struggling to come to terms with Maggie Thatcher’s approach to labour relations.  I have to confess to being largely unaware of the momentous goings-on in the Lee jeans factory in Greenock, and am profoundly grateful to all those concerned in bringing this story to the stage.  in deeply troubled times, it’s good to be reminded that ‘little people’ can make a difference and that it’s possible for a few people to stick together and resist the power and arrogance of massive multinational corporations.

In 1981, the factory in Greenock was profitable, its American owners having taken full advantage of the financial inducements on offer from the British government for the past ten years.  Was it pure coincidence that at this point some of the factory’s operations were moved to Northern Ireland, where new tax incentives were on offer?  How come the workers were being told that they would be made redundant and the factory closed after the statutory 90 days’ notice?  This at a time when jobs were increasingly scarce, money incredibly tight, and union power was being steadily eroded…

What unfolds is a tale of sheer bloody-mindedness and refusal to be intimidated or to give in to pressure.  The mostly female workforce agreed to a sit-in and, despite the cowardly refusal of their trade union to get involved, they made their story public and received huge support from many other people, even though they too were suffering in the aggressively anti-union atmosphere of Maggie’s Britain.

It might seem that this is a grim tale with all too little light – but what NTS has produced is an inspiring and engrossing illustration of what feisty women [and a few men] can achieve if they put their minds to it.  Five women and one man play many parts – and many instruments, too – in this production which crackles with wit and gallows humour.  A raucously lively succession of 1980s songs, many with new words created by the strikers, and a seemingly endless procession of characters interacting with the main protagonists, drive this narrative forward until the final moments invite us to consider what we could profitably learn from this David and Goliath true story.

 The cast’s talents leave me speechless.  Quite apart from the rapid costume- and accent-changes performed by most of them, their musical abilities are highly impressive as they swap instruments and vocal styles and lines in this almost continuous high-octane performance.  My hat’s off to Aron Dochard – his gangly teen Finlay is in strong contrast to his Belfast manager Charters and much older Jimmy who’s probably carrying a torch for young Maggie, while his chinless and spineless union head honcho is priceless: and he can sing and play a mean guitar, too!  Madeline Grieve beats the hell out of her drum kit while also inhabiting many roles, and musical director Shonagh Murray provides strong keyboard and vocal backing, occasionally coming centre stage with her piano accordion.

Hannah Jarrett-Scott is the strong, capable support person who does all the unglamorous but essential jobs within the sit-in, not least the thankless task of wrangling people into rotas to ensure all the tasks are covered all the time while ensuring that they have enough time to deal with the rest of their lives – small wonder Cathie’s at times very snippy about her younger sister’s lively, happy-go-lucky approach to the whole business.

Chiara Sparkes lights up the stage with her performance as Maggie Wallace – she gets everyone going with her energy and enthusiasm, and we watch with pride and satisfaction her gradual maturation from irresponsible teen to self-assured spokesperson for the striking women.  And boy, can she belt a good song!  The whole narrative is driven by the music, and for anyone who wasn’t engrossed in nappies, will be a wonderful trip down memory lane: for me it supported and powered the action, voicing the workers’ incredible mixture of emotions and shouting defiance to the world.

The outstanding performance has to be that of Jo Freer as Helen Monaghan.  Without Helen’s quiet determination to fight for jobs for her co-workers the sit-in would have gone nowhere.  Somehow this quiet unassuming shop steward found the inner resources to keep going in the face of determined opposition [and complete male indifference] and support and strengthen everyone else around her at the same time.  Jo’s performance is simply unforgettable.

Oh the power of a strong woman!  I hope that the telling of this story will remind people of the power of the individual and the ‘little person’ and inspire more acts of resistance in the face of increasing abuses of power and denial of justice.

The National Theatre of Scotland presents Stand and deliver, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Run Ended.

The Tour will call at The Byre Theatre St Andrews, Eastgate Theatre Peebles, Mull Threatre Tobermory, Eden Court Theatre Inverness, Lanternhouse Cumbernauld, and the Beacon Arts Centre Greenock. For more information go to: Stand & Deliver: The Lee Jeans Sit-in | National Theatre of Scotland

**** (4 stars)

“Showcases the breadth of talent that defines Scottish Opera”

I badly want to give this production five stars – and if I saw it a little later in the run, I’m sure I would.  The production is lively and doesn’t muck about with the basic story; the characters are very well cast; the music is of course wonderful; costumes, lighting and set design serve to enhance rather than hinder the story-telling; and the singers range from very good to outstanding. 

My reservations come from the huge weight of the four main roles – Count and Countess Almaviva and their servants, Figaro and Susanna.  All four singers had really great moments, and were never less than very good – it’s just that maintaining excellence throughout a long a complex opera is hard.  Knowing when to relax slightly in order to give your all in a few moments’ time, when not to push but allow the voice to float over the orchestra; husbanding your energy for when you really need it…all takes time to work out and absorb.  Not to mention first night nerves!  All this will come with time, and very soon in the case of these four very talented singers – which is why I’d really like to see another performance in a few weeks’ time, when it will fulfil its first night promises and dazzle everyone who comes to see it.

The basic plot is simple – Figaro wants to marry Susanna; the Count wants to bed her before her wedding night; the Countess struggles with the misery of having been wooed and won then rejected by her husband.  Complications arise in the form of Cherubino, a young lad who’s besotted with every woman in sight; Marcellina, who also wants to marry Figaro; Dr Bartolo who wants revenge on Figaro for preventing him from marrying his wealthy ward, Rosina [now the Countess]; Don Basilio simply delights in scandal and intrigue; Barbarina wants Cherubino; and her father Antonio simply wants to stop people jumping out of windows and crushing his geraniums.  Plots, disguises, locked closets, a military commission, a foundling reunited with his parents, and a chorus of servants who simply want to get on with the promised party all add to the mayhem.

Thomas Allen’s production is wonderful in that it makes the story as easy to follow as it might be while not forcing it into some strange Concept that makes one feel the producer hasn’t actually read the script.  I must confess I wondered about Susanna’s praising the friendly darkness ofthe night when there was a giant harvest moon in the sky, and whether the cornfield which provided the helpful stooks of corn actually grew right up to the walls of the Almaviva home – but these are design rather than production quibbles.  Costumes are appropriate to the period and quietly underline the difference in social standing between master and servant.  Lighting, as it should, illuminates the plot, and good choreography also helped us see what was going on.

And, of course, there’s Mozart, who with librettist da Ponte created one of the most beautifully balanced and plotted of all operas.  Amanda Holden’s translation is superb, especially in the plot-advancing recitatives and, while I might wish that the singers didn’t need to have their words up in the supertitles, it meant that everyone present was able to understand, enjoy, and be completely involved in what was going on on stage.  I wonder how many ‘first timers’ were present?  Certainly there was a huge laugh when Marcellina is revealed to be Figaro’s mother!

Scottish Opera’s orchestra were, as ever, brilliant, and conducted for this run by Dane Lam.  As for the singers – well!  It’s a cast which needs a vast range of superlatives to describe them all.  Emerging Artist Edward Jowle has already shown his quality in a number of smaller roles with Scottish Opera, while Ava Dodd as his Susanna was making her Scottish Opera début and making me keen to see her again very soon.  Ian Rucker, another debutant, was an excellent Count, with just the occasional American ‘a’ colouring his delivery: his Countess, Alexandra Lowe, stood up to him spiritedly, generous with her forgiveness after all his hypocritical blustering.  I just wish I could believe his repentance would last… 

Simone McIntosh was captivating as Cherubino – the perfectly awkward, emotionally overflowing teenager who can’t control his reactions and is desperate to gain experience with any woman who’ll allow this.  Jeni Bern was a wonderfully warm and engaging Marcellina, rather than the bitter, ageing spinster so often seen on stage – I’m just really sad she didn’t get her pro-women aria which is a wonderful counterfoil to Figaro’s bitter condemnation of them which immediately follows in the score.  Edward Hawkins was a delight as Dr Bartolo – tall, elegant, wryly witty rather than the blustering old fool one so often sees – while Scottish Opera Emerging Artist, tenor Luva Maranti, made the most of Basilio’s all-too-brief contributions.  I really look forward to hearing his gorgeous voice in a more prominent role very soon.

The whole production showcased the breadth of talent that defines Scottish Opera’s productions.  The audience showed their appreciation with applause for many of the arias and ensembles and were loudly vociferous in their congratulations at the final curtain.  Another thoroughly enjoyable evening, an entertainment which will be brought to a theatre near you in the coming weeks.  Don’t miss it!

And oh my – next year’s programme is mouth-wateringly delectable!  Puccini’s Turandot, Beethoven’s Fidelio and my all-time favourite Handel – Alcina – are the main attractions, but there’s more… get hold of a copy of The next era which outlines the programme for 2026/7 and start clearing dates in your diary!!

Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Scottish Opera, Theatre Royal, Glasgow runs until Saturday 23^rd May for more information and tickets go to: Scottish Opera – The Marriage of Figaro Tickets | Theatre Royal Glasgow in Glasgow | ATG Tickets

The Production will also perform at:

The Festival Theatre Edinburgh, Friday 29^th May to Saturday 6^th June for more info go to: The Marriage of Figaro – Capital Theatres

His Majesty’s Theatre Aberdeen Thursday 11^th June to Saturday 13^th June for more information go to: The Marriage of Figaro | Aberdeen Performing Arts

Eden Court Theatre, Inverness Thursday 18^th June to Saturday 20^th June for more info go to: The Marriage of Figaro | Eden Court