This August will see the premiere of Mr Punch at The Opera at the Arcola Theatre. From The Opera Makers, this delightful and preposterous show is an interactive, pantomime-style adaptation of Pergolesi’s Renaissance opera La Serva Padrona, and is a fun (and short) way for children and families to access classical opera this summer.
Mr Punch at The Opera explores all the ways puppets and opera singers can interact – as the heroine of the piece takes control of her story and her lazy boss Hubert, and lays siege to the mischievous Mr Punch’s theatre. For its time, La Serva Padrona was a progressive, feminist show with a feisty leading lady, and Mr Punch at The Opera takes this further, using an outdated narrative to red-flag representations of women in theatre and literature then - and now - turning the traditional anti-women idea of Punch & Judy on its head.
This comic hoot of a show features beautiful singing and live instrumentation that children may not have experienced before. Mr Punch at The Opera boasts a new English libretto and hilarious book from Olivier Award nominated creator Becca Marriott. This fast-paced and funny show will capture the imaginations of young audiences and introduce them to classical music in a relaxed and child-friendly setting.
The cast features renowned comic baritone, Matthew Kellett and Grace Nyandoro - no stranger to children’s and community opera settings, as well as puppeteer Professor James and cellist Alison Holford. The show is directed by Becca Marriott, with assistant director Edie Bailey, and musically directed from the piano by Panaretos Kyriatzidis.
We chatted to Becca Marriott to learn more about the show.
Where did your arts career begin?
That’s a complicated one! I always wanted to be in the theatre. I guess it all began when I was 14 and I attended The Guildhall School of Drama’s weekend juniors’ course. It was a lot more intense than it sounds and gave me a real grounding in the theatrical practice I still employ today.
My opera career, on the other hand, started much later. After five years working in improvised comedy, now aged 25, I bizarrely found myself in the chorus of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Yeoman of the Guard, and I was hooked. Fast-forward 4 years and I had completed my masters in voice and started my collaborative work with The King’s Head Theatre, creating award winning adaptations of canonical operas – including La bohème (nominated for an Olivier Award and being reprised this year at Grimeborn) and an Off-West-End Award winning production of Tosca.
That’s a complicated one! I always wanted to be in the theatre. I guess it all began when I was 14 and I attended The Guildhall School of Drama’s weekend juniors’ course. It was a lot more intense than it sounds and gave me a real grounding in the theatrical practice I still employ today.
My opera career, on the other hand, started much later. After five years working in improvised comedy, now aged 25, I bizarrely found myself in the chorus of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Yeoman of the Guard, and I was hooked. Fast-forward 4 years and I had completed my masters in voice and started my collaborative work with The King’s Head Theatre, creating award winning adaptations of canonical operas – including La bohème (nominated for an Olivier Award and being reprised this year at Grimeborn) and an Off-West-End Award winning production of Tosca.
Were there any people or performances that inspired your journey of your career?
So many! One of my biggest inspirations has been the work of Steve Roe. You’ve probably never heard of him, but he runs London’s only improvised comedy theatre – Hoopla!. We met through creating a full-length improvised comedy musical for the Edinburgh Fringe. He’s an amazing teacher and performer: patient, reliable, ridiculous and incredibly funny.
So many! One of my biggest inspirations has been the work of Steve Roe. You’ve probably never heard of him, but he runs London’s only improvised comedy theatre – Hoopla!. We met through creating a full-length improvised comedy musical for the Edinburgh Fringe. He’s an amazing teacher and performer: patient, reliable, ridiculous and incredibly funny.
I take most of my inspiration from more entertaining and fast-paced modes of theatre than traditional opera. I love the work of Mischief Theatre – The Play that Goes Wrong! etc. who I had the absolute joy to work with when they were the Scat Pack and performing improv at the Edinburgh Fringe.
But my earliest inspiration is pantomime. I still vividly recall my annual trek with my dad to the Milfield Theatre to see whatever that year’s offering was. I don’t think there’s any better or more inclusive form of theatre.
What can you tell me about Mr Punch at the Opera?
Mr Punch at The Opera is a very radical adaptation of a 17thCentury Intermezzo, La Serva Padrona. It might be hard to believe, but three hundred years ago, if you went to the opera, you would be treated to ANOTHER opera in the intervals! These were called intermezzi. They were traditionally 40 minutes long (in two short halves) and were all about the lives of ‘real’ people rather than the kings and queens and gods of the big fancy operas. Oh – and they were very funny.
Mr Punch at The Opera is a very radical adaptation of a 17thCentury Intermezzo, La Serva Padrona. It might be hard to believe, but three hundred years ago, if you went to the opera, you would be treated to ANOTHER opera in the intervals! These were called intermezzi. They were traditionally 40 minutes long (in two short halves) and were all about the lives of ‘real’ people rather than the kings and queens and gods of the big fancy operas. Oh – and they were very funny.
La Serva Padrona is credited as the inspiration for all Mozart’s big comedies – Le Nozze di Figaro and Cosi fan Tutte in particular.
We’ve translated the whole show into English; crafted it a new comic English book (the actors speak in between numbers rather than sing through like in traditional opera);and brought in an amazing Punch & Judy puppeteer – James Holz aka Professor James – to animate the whole show with crocodiles, cheeky monkeys, doctors, singing policemen AND of course, Punch and Judy. We’ve reimagined the work as an interactive pantomime-style piece for children age 3 up (and their adults).
It's also important to remember that what might seem like a silly story to us today was actually a radical depiction of female empowerment all those years ago. So, we’ve also added some tongue-in-cheek feminist twists to really highlight the out-dated aspects of this story; and, more importantly, to show how these narratives continue in society today with stories like Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.
How would you describe the style of the show?
Panto/Slapstick/Farce/Puppets/Silly
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| Becca Marriott |
From the outset we knew that this show would need some in-depth play. We wanted to have a full week working on creating the book, figuring out how opera singers would interact with the Punch and Judy booth and making the music and lyrics really flow. We were lucky enough to secure funding from The Leche Trust and the Fenton Arts Trust to workshop the show and present it to a target group of 30 exuberant youngsters in partnership with The Little Angel Theatre.
The biggest challenge has definitely been mashing up Punch & Judy, a typically “solo” theatre style practiced by performers who are completely free, with one of the most rigid and structured theatrical artforms - Opera. We’ve been incredibly lucky, however, and have found a puppeteer with so much energy and enthusiasm for being part of an opera company and a cast of singers who are playful and daring and willing to take risks to make great entertainment for kids – plus, my background in improvisation really helped!
How do you approach making opera accessible for all ages?
Great question! The most obvious answer is – clear, simple storytelling. Everyone loves a good story, even one with a healthy dose of nonsense. Of course, there’s more to it than that. We have tried to add as much interaction and direct engagement in the show as well as plenty of visual gags.
With opera, there’s also the additional fascination of live classical instruments and a style of singing that many of the children, and some of the adults, will never have experienced before. This always grips the imagination – I know this from looking at my 4-year-old’s entranced expression when she watches me singing Wagner!
Great question! The most obvious answer is – clear, simple storytelling. Everyone loves a good story, even one with a healthy dose of nonsense. Of course, there’s more to it than that. We have tried to add as much interaction and direct engagement in the show as well as plenty of visual gags.
With opera, there’s also the additional fascination of live classical instruments and a style of singing that many of the children, and some of the adults, will never have experienced before. This always grips the imagination – I know this from looking at my 4-year-old’s entranced expression when she watches me singing Wagner!
Like pantomime, there’s lots of fun for the young ones and a dollop of humour that will go over their heads but get their grown-ups chuckling.
I think it’s still seen as an elitist artform. People say this is because of ticket prices, but you can grab tickets to an opera for less than £20, even at The Royal Opera House, which is nothing compared to say, Taylor Swift tickets, and no one calls her elitist.
On the other hand – opera is not an easy form of theatre to get into and that is partly because of the languages, partly because of the style of the music and a little bit the fault of directors and the nature of the industry. The Opera Makers have spent the last 4 years doing what they can to produce opera that is different and that breaks down barriers. We’ve done this by platforming issues that touch everyone such as cancer, exploring technology in our operas and casting emerging and diverse talents and - now - by producing a show that is pure entertainment, aimed at inspiring the next generation of opera-lovers.
What are your own favourite operas?
Actually, La Serva Pardona is definitely one of my favourite operas. It’s short, sweet and perfectly formed – with a gooddose of humour and spark. I also love Puccini though, and, at the other end of the spectrum, a bit of Wagner. Tosca and La bohéme are must-sees for any opera novice, and once you have the taste for it – try Die Walküre (it’s nearly 4 hours long though!)
Actually, La Serva Pardona is definitely one of my favourite operas. It’s short, sweet and perfectly formed – with a gooddose of humour and spark. I also love Puccini though, and, at the other end of the spectrum, a bit of Wagner. Tosca and La bohéme are must-sees for any opera novice, and once you have the taste for it – try Die Walküre (it’s nearly 4 hours long though!)
What keeps you inspired?
Audiences. It sounds very cliché; but there is no greater joy that seeing a room of people entertained by something you have created. It is a real buzz.
Audiences. It sounds very cliché; but there is no greater joy that seeing a room of people entertained by something you have created. It is a real buzz.
What has been really special about creating Mr Punch, isseeing how joyful it makes young children in those audiences. We know, that for many, this show will be their first theatrical experience and that really is a magical thing to be a part of.
What do you hope an audience takes away from seeing Mr Punch at the Opera?
That opera can be for everyone and that it is a genuine form of entertainment and not a high-brow distant thing. I hope this show opens parents’ minds up to the option of opera as something kids can enjoy, but also something they can enjoy. There’s so much genuinely brilliant opera out there for all ages and all tastes – comedy, romance, tragedy – you name it. We want to be a part of inspiring people to go and see it.
That opera can be for everyone and that it is a genuine form of entertainment and not a high-brow distant thing. I hope this show opens parents’ minds up to the option of opera as something kids can enjoy, but also something they can enjoy. There’s so much genuinely brilliant opera out there for all ages and all tastes – comedy, romance, tragedy – you name it. We want to be a part of inspiring people to go and see it.
BUT
Mostly, we just want our audiences to have a good time.
Mr Punch at The Opera runs at The Arcola Theatre from Wednesday 21st until Saturday 24th August 2024. Tickets are available from https://www.arcolatheatre.com/whats-on/mr-punch-at-the-opera/
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