Gilbert and Sullivan’s Yeomen of the Guard sits uncomfortably within the repertoire. From one facet, it’s Sullivan’s greatest work with Gilbert, however alas, the humourist was out of his depth. What got here out of the collaboration is a few stunning merrie English music with a clunky libretto purposely freed from the attribute topsy-turvydom, however with none compensating nod to spectacle or seria, leaving the present tonally adrift. ENO have a string of camp and cheery productions from the stylishness of Jonathan Miller and Mike Leigh’s Mikado and Pirates to the pantomime buffoonery of Cal McCrystal’s Iolanthe and Pinafore and…
Rating
Good
This Gilbert and Sullivan opera is just a bit too uneven to be ranked amongst ENO’s greatest works.
Gilbert and Sullivan’s Yeomen of the Guard sits uncomfortably within the repertoire. From one facet, it’s Sullivan’s greatest work with Gilbert, however alas, the humourist was out of his depth. What got here out of the collaboration is a few stunning merrie English music with a clunky libretto purposely freed from the attribute topsy-turvydom, however with none compensating nod to spectacle or seria, leaving the present tonally adrift.
ENO have a string of camp and cheery productions from the stylishness of Jonathan Miller and Mike Leigh’s Mikado and Pirates to the pantomime buffoonery of Cal McCrystal’s Iolanthe and Pinafore they usually’re trying so as to add a Yeomen of the Guard as a part of their programme to have fun Elizabeth Windsor’s jubilee (whoops). I believe we’re going to have to begin treating Yeomen as cursed.
Jo Davies’ new manufacturing places the beefeaters in coronation 12 months 1953. We are handled to beautiful interval design by Anthony Ward, well-lit to create a depressing environment by Oliver Fenwick. Ward creates a really fashionable set which supplies loads of house for motion and does its greatest to search out place for each scene. There’s upping and downing of portcullis and the rattle of chains, and within the grand scena of Act I, in comes the tower from on the hill.
If you’re going to placed on a little bit of a bizarre plodder (with the promise a brand new version and updates to the libretto as well) you’ve obtained to be dedicated to fixing it. Die-hard Savoyards are sympathetic to amends and updates to maintain productions alive. The libretto has tweaks, reminiscent of Colonel Fairfax is now not a sorcerer awaiting his execution however spy and Jack Point laments on Brexit (ENO, I’m placing down my oat milk latte to beg that you just get one other joke) however is simply too cautious to make useful adjustments and as an alternative simply fluffs across the edges.
Davies does nice work with a refrain, conserving them shifting, fluid and all the time discovering their place. She creates an eerie grand tableau right here and there however sadly does nothing to resolve the rootlessness of the present. The principal forged appear to be out on their very own. They’ve clearly been given no actual assist to search out their character, which makes Elsie and Phoebe just about interchangeable and the gallant Sergeant Meryll as only a bit moist. Other than a reliably incredible voice in Anthony Gregory, we’re not too certain what the women see in Colonel Fairfax.
Overall, there’s assorted ability from the forged assembled, Alexandra Oomens’ Elsie is a delight, she sings with nice readability of voice and really with ease, making you would like Sullivan had thrown her slightly extra meat and been a bit extra adventurous – she may actually deal with it. On the very reverse finish, you don’t fairly realise what number of songs Jack Point has till seeing Richard McCabe bubble his manner via the position. He is a high quality actor however not a singer and struggles all through regardless of mic help. His half is minimize from the trio and quartet in Act II, however in case you squint you may see his lips shifting. It’s a lopsided present.
It’s a drag after which some. The patter music from Ruddigore is spliced into the penultimate scene, which might usually be a welcome deal with, however it’s sung poorly and at a snail’s tempo and solely actually prolongs an extended night. Clocking in at three hours (over the 2 hours 40 marketed), maybe it’s not simply Fairfax that must be up for the chop.
Conductor: Chris Hopkins
Director: Jo Davies
Designer: Anthony Ward
Lighting Designer: Oliver Fenwick
Choreographer: Kay Shepherd
Yeomen of the Guard performs at London Coliseum till 2 December 2022. Further info and bookings could be discovered right here.