Orpheus Experience 1

(Can Can from a professional French production)

So, a student production of "Orphée aux enters" last night… It was lots of fun. No, make that FUN.

Because, really, isn't that what Offenbach really about? Fun music and laughs, hopefully sung well. And, on the whole, this was not sung badly, with some stand out performers. And to be sure, I know this was a student production, so I was not expecting big polished voices. In fact, to be honest, I was not sure what sort of standard to expect. I certainly was not expecting it to be this good

First of all, this production stands and delivers with a fine Pluton. Of course, that was no surprise to me, as Pascal Herrington was Pluton the night I saw it. Having sung on stage with him in the past, I knew his abilities. But, that was a number of years ago. Last night, he delivered. His Pluton was a masterly performance that worked multiple accents (which he held while needed) and a secure singing voice, while still providing clear diction. He also was one of the better dancers. Those years of music theatre showed!

Also, good was Daniel Macey as Jupiter. Definitely not as secure as Pascal in his dialogue, but he shows signs of developing a very nice voice indeed. Though he is still very clearly early in his development.

Daniel Tambasco as Orpheus was also pleasing. He took the role of Orpheus as rock god and worked it. He worked hard and got plenty of laughs. He also sang quite well, but his is again, a voice I expect to improve with time.

Amy Corkery was probably the standout of the women, showing a big flexible voice with a pleasing comic sense, and quite good acting skills. I did find her voice became less secure as the show progressed, but it is a big role to sing when you are still working out your technique, so all I will say is, I look forward to seeing how she develops in the future. Spinto territory I suspect.

As Venus, Bridget Patterson was probably the most secure vocal technique. A pleasing voice, but not one that jumped out as fantastic. I may be showing bias against lyris sopranos of course.

On the other hand, the voice that did stand out and wow was that of Alexander Knight as John Styx. Why the best voice in the cast goes to the small character part I am unsure, it seemed such a waste. However, this was a truly impressive tenor voice, a big voice signing a character tenor role. He really left me wishing there was more to the role, he was that good.

I also can't go past the Mercury of Thomas Birch. Not the best voice I have heard by any means, but anyone who can sing Mercury AND tap-dance, has to be applauded. That he did both quite well, and looked cute? Bonus points from me!

The direction as a whole was played for laughs, as it should. Dialogue was in English and the arias were in French (with subtitles). The cast were singing both their roles and chorus, not just when written, as the ensemble was quite small. That said, the amount of sound produced by such a small cast was impressive. The fact that the chorus is made up of the second cast, possibly has something to do with it…

As does, no doubt, the music direction of Stephen Mould. Such tight ensemble work is a credit to him, and the work done by the performers. The fact that many of them had to dance at the same time? I was very impressed!

So, to sum up? Great fun, worth seeing if you can. Yes, it is a student work, but then, I have heard worse singing on stage in professional performances. Yes, the voices are smaller, but the theatre is too. And I had no problem hearing any of the soloists from the back of the theatre, nor were they ever drowned by the orchestra.

But most of all, go because it is fun and you will have a good giggle.