12th August
[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Cabaret 12a ] [ Cabaret 12b ]

Gondoliers Sale Opera House 7:30 pm  We had seats C21 & C22 in the Dress Circle for this performance

The orchestra opened with a good overture and then the tabs were lifted to reveal a square in Venice - backing onto the main canal with a bar at the right hand side.

The Contadine were busying themselves making up posies in the traditional manner - however I found it difficult to date the setting - I could not make out the styles of the dresses - could it be set in the 50's?  If so why?

There was good movement about the stage.  The men came on - Antonio was very good - full of life and with a good singing voice.  Again the costumes of the men were difficult to place.

Marco and Giuseppe's entrance increased the pace of the performance - Marco had a clear voice but was rather quiet and looked very nervous - on the other hand Giuseppe was full of confidence and had a good baritone voice with clear diction.  They had great fun with the selection of wives - pretending to be blindfolded and then doing a "pat-a-cake" routine.  The girls eventually realised and put buckets on their heads!

I liked how Gianetta and Tessa were prevented from reaching their goal - first by the men and then by the women - eventually they fought their way through and were "selected" by the gondoliers.

The arrival of the Duke and his party still did little to clear up the date.  The Duke looked like a movie "god-father" and Luiz was in what appeared to be a chauffeur's uniform.  For some reason they were using "Eastender's" type accents - in a grandee of Spain?  The Duke was grumbling that no welcome had been arranged for him.  Instead of a drum Luiz played on a "Stylophone" - did this set the era to the 1970's?

Casilda was told that she had been married as a baby to the son of the King of Barataria and that they had all come to meet him. A good "In enterprise of martial kind" from the Duke.  After the Duke and Duchess left Luiz and Casilda expressed their love for each other.  The both had good voices although Luiz, in later sections seemed to have some difficulty with the parts he was singing.

Don Alhambra came on - he looked like Oliver Hardy.  However he had a good stage presence and a fine deep bass voice with good diction.  He sand a good rendition of "I stole the prince..."  I do wish he did not have the golf clubs and trolley or play about with the club and golf ball - totally unnecessary.

The wedding party return - Tessa sang "When a merry maiden marries"  She had a good voice and excellent diction.  Gianetta tried to persuade Don Alhambra to let the women go with the men - she had a sweet sounding voice but I found that I could not distinguish the words in her song "Kind Sir"

The quartet "Then one of us will be a queen" was well sung.

All the men agree to go with them and the act closes as they sail off into the sun.

Act two opens in the pavilion of the court of Barataria.  The men are all dressed in gangster type, colourful suits.  Marco and Giuseppe are rushing around looking after their needs-  I did not like the drunk gondolier - he grew more and more annoying as the act progressed.  Giuseppe sang a good "Rising early in the morning"  but Marco's "Take a pair of sparkling eyes" showed his lack of confidence.  The girls return and a good "Dance a cachucha" was sung by all.

Don. Alhambra returned - still with his annoying golf trolley and in a golfing jumper.  He sang a good "There lived a King"

The Duke's party returned - a little more up-market in attire now.  A good rendition of "On the day that I was married" by the Duchess. followed by a sound duet "Small titles and orders".

The whole cast came back and Inez is brought forward - she determines that Luiz is the King.  

The chorus

Sorry Luiz - missed you!

This production was only average - I felt that too many unnecessary changes had been put into it - most added nothing to the original.  The costumes were quite dismal.  Although much effort had been put into the lighting, too often the action was not going on in the brightest of light - this was not helped by the two spot lights which were often in the incorrect position.

A certain lack of confidence was exhibited by several of the cast - there was a great deal of looking at the MD for cues.