Playing at the Arcola Theatre as part of the 15th Grimeborn Opera Festival, Black the Clown is cleverly directed by Paula Paz (from the Cervantes Theatre) with the libretto adapted from the original by Ignacio García, which introduced the excellent device of budding star, Simon Buddock. He is a lad who, as he plays with his toy theatre, creates and controls the story that unfolds for us on the stage.
“Exiled from a country immersed in civil war, two clowns find themselves in the heart of the Parisian underworld at a time of revolution”. Princess Sofía (Raphaela Papadakis) is in distress as she grieves for her lover, Prince Daniel of Orsonia, who has abandoned her. She desperately tries to think of a way to lure him back. Meanwhile, her (hilarious) flirty sister Catalina (Juliet Wallace) is equally determined to find a lover of her own. Meanwhile, they both languish in limbo.
Catalina (Juliet Wallace) and Marat (David Powton)
In the end, it’s all in a song! Black (a charismatic Michael Lafferty) is mistaken by the lovesick Princess Sofía for her beloved Prince Daniel, when he chances to play a melody on the violin that Prince Daniel had composed for her. Blinded by her state of sorrow, she rejects Black’s attempt to correct her. As a result, together with his partner-in-crime White ( a superb Giuseppe Pellingra with his spot-on comic timing) they both unexpectedly find themselves trapped, pretending to be what they are not, and drawn into her political intrigue, as she hopes to re-establishing the power of her kingdom, as rebellious uprisings and war festers all around them in a constant undercurrent, affecting all their lives.
Giuseppe Pellingra as White the clown
This production of Black the Clown is hugely enjoyable. It has gentle echoes of a Commedia dell’Arte, with the clowns and the twists and turns of a complicated love triangle with mistaken identities. It was hard to believe that the outstanding musical orchestration was created by only two musicians: At the piano, music director Ricardo Gosalbo, with Elene Jáuregui on the violin and occasional drum back the singers with Gosalbo’s neatly adapted score.
Michael Lafferty as Black and Raphaela Papadakis as Princess Sofía.
Spanish composer Pablo Sorozábal Mariexcurrena (1897-1988) came from San Sebastián in the Basque country. After studying music in Madrid and Leipzig, he launched into a career that led to more than 20 zarzuelas that became hugely popular, in particular those known as madrileño comedies. Black the Clown (1942) remains one of his more ambitious allegorical romances, adapted by Serrano Anguita from the original French tale of “La Princesse aux Clowns” (1923) by Jean- José Frappa. It emerged in the middle of the Second World War, just as the Spanish Civil War had ended. It was cleverly written so as to avoid being censored, weaving around the love story with a good many laughs and oblique ironical references.
This première production in the UK by Paula Paz cleverly is in both Spanish and English, using surtitles where necessary.
Michael Lafferty as Black the Clown
Alternating between spoken and sung scenes, which sometimes feature dances, the Zarzuela is a traditional form of musical comedy, or operetta, that is usually satirical in nature. It is believed the term ‘zarzuela’ first appeared when this musical form was first presented to the court at the Palace of Zarzuela, near Madrid. The earliest style was baroque (with the wonderful plays by Calderón de la Barca). Later followed by the hugely popular romantic zarzuelas (1850-1950). They flourished in Mexico & Cuba (with Afrocuban influences) and curiously, also in the Philippines, where evolving a comedy of manners connecting it to their own local traditions, they became known as ‘sarsuelas’.
In Spain, there has been a revival of the form, with younger people drawn to the lyrical music and spectacle, with international stars like Victoria de los Angeles, Montserrat Caballé and even Plácido Domingo having a go! This zarzuela has some spoken dialogue as well as song, so acting ability is also important. Avoiding straight farce in its comedy, the storylines are moving, with colourful characterizations. Here, we find it beautifully expressed in the music and the high-quality singing.
Raphaela Papadakis as Princess Sofía.
Paula Paz, coming from a dance background herself, has directed the show as a true spectacle with the actors choreographed as they move about the stage. The quality of the singing is superb as all the players immerse us in the rich, colourful melodies of Sorozábal’s music, with some outstanding duets and quartets there to enjoy.
Black the Clown: Arcola Theatre till Aug 6th - then the Cervantes Theatre from 20-24th September
Director Paula Paz
Composer Spanish composer Pablo Sorozábal in 1942
Libretto Serrano Anguita
Libretto adaptor Ignacio García
Cast: Princess Sofía: Raphaela Papadakis / Catalina: Juliet Wallace / Black: Michael Lafferty/ White: Giuseppe Pellingra / Marat/ Charles Dupont: David Powton / Child : Simon Bullock
