one4review | On 07, Aug 2023

Sublimely funny! If you love opera, set your opera glasses down for a bit and go along to the EICC and see this strikingly hilarious love story. I promise that for days after this show, you’ll be humming your old favourites again. 

If opera isn’t your cup of tea, I urge you to book your very first ever ticket to your very first ever opera! You may even surprise yourself by recognising almost all the tunes packed into this vivacious performance, and guess what? No surtitles and comfortable seats. 

This multi award-winning comedy performance consists of five exceptional singers portraying the most vibrant and loveable characters, who’ll belt out what can only be described as opera’s greatest hits with a slap of the old stick of pop & rock.  

Nothing could stop the charismatic and passionate macho-man hoodwink me and my fellow audience into to singing “la, la, la” and before I knew it, we were singing famous opera pieces. I was impressed that some knew the words…I kept to my best “la, la” for special measure. 

I appreciated very much being dragged through all the normal opera emotions: delight, yearning for one’s love, heart wrenching rejection and in this case eye watering laughter. Like a true opera there is so much drama, themes such and alcoholism and suicidal thoughts. 

The best was cringing as I witnessed a chap in the audience being intensely serenaded with “I will always love you” which added to the already two intwining love stories on the stage. 

Even macho-man finds himself fall head over heals in love for a younger man who has a tremendous voice and talents in sabotaging traditional opera piece with his peppy pop songs. 

And finally, a brilliantly delightful soprano wins the heart of Alfredo, a mature opera tenor whose voice begins to fail him and who mourns his spritelier days. 

The hair, the make-up and the intensity of their performative eccentric characters will make the hour go by so fast you’ll be begging for wan’ more tune! 

This week I’ll be treating the whole family to a bit of A Comedy of Operas!

5*****
Reviewed by Jen
Venue 150 Pleasance at EICC – Pentland Theatre 

Times vary.
August 7-8, 10-15, 17-20, 22-23, 25-27 (1hour)