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Posts Tagged ‘Welsh National Opera’

What shall we do with the drunken gaoler (2 )?‏

Posted in Theatre Reviews, tagged , , on April 13, 2011| Leave a Comment »

As I thought he would be, Des was a superb Frosch in DIE FLEDERMAUS ,with his brilliant comic timing and deadpan delivery. He DID sing, with a splendid parody of the GO COMPARE TV ad and also sent up the fact that we were watching a performance from the Welsh National Opera. Even his curtain call was played as a drunk, but the significant thing about his drunkenness is that it was never overplayed. Certainly a definitive interpretation – thanks, Des! Tony Boyd-Williams

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What shall we do with the drunken gaoler ?‏

Posted in News, tagged , , , on January 25, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I was delighted to see that RSC Associate Artist Des Barritt will be appearing  in Welsh National Opera’s new production of DIE FLEDERMAUS which opens at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff on 12th February.

Des takes the non singing role of the drunken but lovable gaoler, Frosch, who appears in the very last scene of the opera but whose comic antics dominate the action. I say it is a “non  singing role ” but there is a tradition that Frosch introduces all sorts of stage business and with the vocal talents of Des, maybe we shall hear just a few notes ?

What matters is that Frosch is usually played by a superb clown and in Des we certainly have someone who provides clowning par excellence.

It should (as always) be a performance to treasure and nearer to Stratford, the production will be at the Birmingham Hippodrome on 9th and 11th March. There are also performances in Bristol and Milton Keynes, full details of which may be found at http://www.wno.org.uk/

Watch this space for my thoughts on this comic treat following the Birmingham performances!

Tony Boyd-Williams

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