London Coliseum, Thursday 29 March 2018

Fiona Shaw’s enthusiastically energetic production of The Marriage of Figaro returns for its second revival with a cast as strong as any which have gone before. Performers here need to be singing actors, not simply good voices, if nothing else as a result of the constantly moving set and their need to ensure they are in the right place at the right time. Peter McKintosh’s designs bring us a world of inter-connecting rooms and corridors, peopled with servants aplenty. If I still retain doubts about the pervious and often insubstantial nature of the walls (looking remarkably like the cheapest plastic green-house double-glazing) the cast treat it all as solid and convince us in so doing.

Ashley Riches’ Count Almaviva is certainly in control of this edifice – or would be if he had a little less sex drive and a little more intelligence. His presence is impressive as is his singing, and there is no doubt he will try to get his own way on all occasions. Lucy Crowe’s Countess is a complex creation, gloriously sung and clearly torn in her feelings towards the Count, a tension which is turning her to drink. It is little touches like this which make the production so appealing and sensitive.

Thomas Oliemans’ Figaro has the extrovert good humour for the part and the instant changes of mood which need tempering by his partner Susanna – beautifully sung by Rhian Lois with a clear insight into the intelligence of her character.

Janis Kelly is a wily Marcellina and Keel Watson a bluff old cove as Bartolo, though his voice occasionally lacked projection. Katie Coventry made a very strong impression as Cherubino, convincingly boyish and gauche but radiant in voice in her two arias.

Martyn Brabbins drives the whole piece strongly from the pit, maintaining good balance and moving through the recitatives to keep the dramatic pace alive.

I doubt if this will be the last revival of this production!