Synopsis:
It’s 1930 - silent movies are out and talkies are in! The once-successful film producer turned theatre impresario, Mr Scruples, has been given the gruelling task of bringing opera to the masses through the silver screen! But, an already difficult task is made frustratingly impossible by two warring diva sopranos who both insist on top billing…
Will they find a solution to make everyone happy? Will Mr Angel ever recover? Will Mr Scruples finally get to retire to the country? And will Mr Bluff ever be allowed to sing professionally again?...
Director: Tiffany Charnley
Producer: Anna Smith
Musical Director: Richard Decker & Tristan Selden
Composer: Mozart
The Director and Producer behind 2022's Bobby Award-winning 'Trial by Jury', present an ambitious production of Mozart's 'The Impresario', bringing this meta-opera comedy into the 1930s in a new adaptation.
The 1930s saw rapid advances in the craft and art of cinema with the introduction of sound recording and the overnight sensation of new "talkies". This sense of art form (and artists) being left behind by progress resonated strongly with the plot of Giovanni Cardelli's update and English translation of Gottlieb Stephanie's original German text for Der Schauspieldirektor. The ageing star Madame Goldentrill and the up-and-coming Miss Silverpeal can easily be reimagined in Hollywood, as can the entrepreneurial Mr Angel.
The new setting enabled the team to introduce exciting multimedia elements to the show. Songs are recast as “screen tests” for the auditioning actresses, with live video streamed to a mini 30s-style cinema screen. The result is a novel, multi-perspective view of the performance, putting the audience behind the camera. A new silent character, the Camera Operator, is also introduced, allowing for an additional layer of interest and delight in the choreography.
Performed at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
