The Barber of Seville ENO Review: An enduring delight
The Barber of Seville has a timeless magic: this is the production’s fourteenth revival, yet it still sparkles.
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The Barber of Seville has a timeless magic: this is the production’s fourteenth revival, yet it still sparkles.
When the curtain rose on Jonathan Miller's Barber at the Coliseum this week, the lantern-lit streets of old Seville and the troupe of Commedia del'Arte musicians looked rather familiar. That is, of course, no surprise because this is a grand-daddy of ENO productions and has been around for, literally, decades and, if not quite looking as fresh as a daisy, it is looking decidedly good for its age. This is partly due to the excellent sets and costumes (by Tanya McCallin) which place it firmly in period and the supremely witty translation by Amanda and Anthony Holden but, then again, mo...
Rossini’s comedy is engaging, warm and witty in this revival of Jonathan Miller’s staging with Charles Rice’s Figaro dominating – as he should
The longstanding favourite is all very slick but, 37 years on, the production is showing its age
PATRICK MARMION: The runaway winner of my theatrical Gold Cup for 2023 was Nicholas Hytner's production of Guys And Dolls, starring Daniel Mays. It opened in March it's still selling out.