London Coliseum, 21 February 2018
What a wonderful evening this proved to be. ENO has done very well by Gilbert and Sullivan, with an enduring favourite in Jonathan Miller’s Mikado and a fine Pirates of Penzance from Mike Leigh. Now we have Cal McCrystal’s ebullient production of Iolanthe. Better known for his films, he shows an unerring ability to tread the fine line between visual comedy and straying too far into up-dates that are either course or inappropriate. Essentially, the production takes both libretto and score at face value and makes the most of them, only adding in visual gags, or the occasional assumed as-libs where they are funny but do not impede the flow of the work or undermine it.
To take a few examples. In the second act, the duet for Strephon and Phyllis If we’re weak enough to tarry turns into an enthusiastic clog dance – and it works beautifully. Similarly the regular encores for If we go in are gently enhanced by the increasing inability of the Page – a wonderfully versatile Richard Leeming – to insinuate himself into proceedings. It is gloriously funny but totally appropriate.
The chorus of fairies are English generic with a fine sense of their own authority while the House of Peers seems increasingly inept, even though they do arrive by steam train! Many of the chorus are subtly individualised which makes the evening come alive whenever they are on stage, and the choreography by Lizzi Gee is a delight.
The late Paul Brown’s designs give us voluptuous Victorian painted drops within a gleaming golden proscenium, and a surprisingly naturalistic House of Lords. The period is securely late Victorian with Strephon and Phyllis both 18th century delft shepherds. Quite how Boris Johnson creeps in among the Lords is another story – but a point well made!
The singing is highly effective throughout – and not a microphone in sight. Marcus Farnsworth is a fine baritone with a keen sense of humour, partnered by Ellie Laugharne whose Phyllis often develops into Blackadder’s Queenie – to genuine comic effect.
Ben Johnson and Ben McAteer lead the lords to foppish effect, though their solo numbers are forthrightly sung. Yvonne Howard is a regal fairy queen, as happy singing while floating above us as she is on the ground, and Andrew Shore brings all the felicity of his Rossini singing to Gilbert’s nightmare song.
The addition of a prologue from Clive Mantle as Captain Shaw makes some sense the first time through but if the production is, as one might hope, revived, it might seem a step too far.
Timothy Henty’s conducting makes much of the Mendelssonian and Wagnerian overtones, and having a full orchestra for Sullivan is a real bonus.
This really is proving to be a vintage season for ENO – long may it continue.