Read what our audiences had to say about The Merry Widow
Review from Jonathan
Walking down Charing Cross Road the other week, we saw a title in lights and went in on a whim - as the Merry Widow would have wished - and what a joy!
The general mood was hedonistic so the whole thing worked both as escapist entertainment and as contemporary cultural critique, whichever you prefer. In any case we were brazenly seduced, along with our noble alibis - the Pontevedrian ambassador and his wife who even wrote it down to make clear she was a 'highly respectable wife'. The lies of course were perfectly defensible, protective of reputations and sensitivities, comparable with those of Susanna and the Countess (some stage business even echoed Figaro) except that, if those two had failed, they would have suffered rather more.
Here, the man in authority was a buffoon and power belonged to the women whom men so vilely flatter. Democracy has prevailed, commercialised chez Maxim's and embodied in grisettes of whatever gender you like. Money is the key. It paid for the costumes which were gorgeous, for the dancers who were provocative, for the parties which must have become tediously frequent and made bearable only by conniving in duplicity. The ultimate deceit was the operatic conceit whereby nature is best when turned into art - artifice and artfulness. The perfect symbol of all this was the fan, used comically to fan the overheated male brow, intriguingly to create problems - and resolve them with a flick of the playwright's wrist.
The voices behind the fan were sometimes faint in song and, to be honest, sometimes overblown (as in some musicals) in speech, but they all merged happily in the choruses, when Lehar's full spectrum of colours unfolded. Among the soloists, Roocroft and Boe justified their reputations, Murphy made you wish she had a bigger part. If Danilo was weaker (John Graham-Hall), perhaps his complacency deserved it, as he will surely dissipate into a Falstaff with all the money the Widow brings him at the end.
If our operetta had a happy end, it was no thanks to the invisible deceased who triggers the plot, the mischievous demiurge who no doubt relishes the guiltily self-indulgent, Freudianly ambivalent pleasure-seeking of fin-de-siecle Vienna. War will finally purify them, the military costumes of the cavalry lieutenant will one day show how threadbare they are (mere properties), but meanwhile the perennial human need for conflict and resistance, for sport, plays itself out pleasantly and we are willing accomplices on the sofas, in the pavilions and all the way down the moonlit garden path. And just in case anyone were tempted to such metaphysical reflections, here was Roy Hudd (sorry Njegus, clerk at the Pontevedrian embassy) to ensure the ambassador was not embarrassed nor the ingénue discovered.
The orchestra had Viennese Schwung, conducted by Oliver Dohnanyi who knows his gypsy music and proved it from the flirtatious tempi chez Maxim's to the languorous promenade duet. Jeremy Sams' translation was a wittily rhyming tour de force, though the singers may have found some of the stresses odd. And the production was a delicious mix of realism and metaphor. The Widow had a real dog in her arms, while Danilo rode a cushion as if it were a horse. For the Widow's presence was everywhere, her sense of fun transforming everyday objects into playthings, her quick eye seeing a metaphor in everything - just like a dramaturge turning her considerable assets suggestively to account.
Review from Peter
"Oh dear" was my thought after the first act of this. The music and drama seemed weak and there was too much dialogue, not all of it audible. But things picked up in the second and third acts, with wonderful set-piece songs and dance numbers, culminating in a stunning Moulin Rouge-style display in the third act. The production was very conventional, but no worse for that, with fantastic period costumes. The acting of Amanada Roocroft as the widow was not brilliant, and the male lead was perhaps not charismatic enough. But all in all I came away feeling in a very buoyant mood.
Review from Colleen
After watching last night's performance of The Merry Widow I have to admit to being disappointed, this did not go with a pop and a bang but more of a splutter. Yes there were exceptions Alfie Boe was a joy to listen to and Roy Hudd was superb, as also was Fiona Murphy. Although we were warned at the start of the performance that Amanda Roocroft was suffering from a chest infection she gave a beautiful performance maybe we should have been warned that it was John Graham-Hall who was suffering as there were some extremely dodgy notes and a lack lustre performance, he might look the part but can't act it. Someone teach him to dance! I am sorry to say that I have seen better amateur performance where I have come from the theatre humming the tunes and with a real feeling of joy de vie - this was not the case last night. Colleen Knowles
Review from Katie
In the words of Noel Coward, "I've been to a marvellous party...I couldn't have liked it more". The reviews were lukewarm and I feared I might be in for a dull evening, but I simply adored it. How lovely to see a traditional production, with pretty if rather rudimentary sets, exquisite costumes, singing, dancing, comedy and FUN! OK, so it's escapist, but why not? Producer John Copley pays this evergreen operetta the tribute of letting it tell its own story, without trying to burden it with a modish, 'unusual' production which pleases producers and critics but not necessarily audiences. The music-making is sumptuous, though Olivier von Dohnanyi's conducting is sometimes a little hard-driven. Best of all ENO have managed to field an entire cast which has that elusive quality, 'operettability' - not as easy as it sounds, especially as only one of them (the veteran Richard Suart) has any substantial prior experience in this specialised but often underrated field. Amanda Roocroft makes a rather placid Widow, but she looks great, sounds gorgeous ('Vilja' was magic) and gives an often hard-bitten lady some much-needed heart. Fiona Murphy (whom I saw as an excellent Carmen earlier this season) scores over her in terms of sheer sparkiness and personality, and she too sounds terrific. She should have a go at the mezzo edition of the title role sometime. Alfie Boe's rich, dark, vibrant tenor and delicious cheekiness make a stronger case than usual for the generally rather drippy Camille. Richard Suart is an amusing Zeta, although he was having vocal problems the night I went. The casting of Roy Hudd as Njejus is a stroke of genius. So often, a inclusion of a guest star from the world of TV or straight theatre just doesn't mix with the rest of the cast, but Hudd blended in as seamlessly as if he'd been doing operetta all his life. His comic timing, of course, was a dream, and his cabaret turn - coming at just the right moment to save the plot-thin Act 3 from sagging - was a blast. All the minor roles were well done, though I sympathised with Hal Cazalet and Daniel Hoadley, saddled as they were with cod-French accents. But for me, the prince of the evening was the one person I hadn't even expected to see. The ENO website lists John Graham-Hall as singing Danilo at all performances, but the night I went, the role was taken by the fine young tenor Philip O'Brien. (Why wasn't the website kept up to date? Black mark!) Having only previously seen him sing Wagner and Verdi, I was astonished to find that he is the complete operetta package. Tall, good-looking, confident, sings beautifully, bags of charm, winning personality, great stage presence, charismatic, not a bad dancer, pings the words across the footlights, and acted the part with humour, panache and real depth (the moment during the pandemonium of the Act 2 finale when he sat apart from the others, his world crumbling about him, was genuinely moving). This is the best Danilo I have seen since the great Emile Belcourt, and from me, with this role, there can be no higher praise. He made the show. ENO should hire him again as soon as possible!
To quote an older "Merry Widow" translation, "When people ask what bliss is, I simply answer "This is"". Go and see it - and catch young Philip's remaining appearance on 30 May.
Right, ENO, now how about a production of "Die Fledermaus" produced by Copley, with Roocroft and O'Brien as the Eisensteins, Boe as his namesake Alfred, Murphy as Orlofsky, Hudd as Frosch, Suart as Frank? I can dream...
Just one thing - why can't we have surtitles for dialogue as well as song? My mother could hear the sung words, but not everyone projected their dialogue 100%. Think about it for Candide. Katie Barnes
Review from Thomas
Well, it was not a very good start to the evening, when having paid just under £200.00 for 3 x tickets and driven 200 miles there and back, to discover that Alfie Boe was nor singing because his wife was having a baby! So? This is the theatre, not an office or factory etc., where someone may not be missed. Members of the audience had paid considerable money to see Mr Boe ( among others). I do not think that this reflects well on Mr Boe or indeed ENO! The production: A lack lustre production, and so old fashioned. Such a delightful piece and in the hands of a different director Ian Judge? would have been a joy. Dreary monolithic "sets", and apart from the "leads" the rest of the cast and chorus were devoid of any energy and needed a "boot up the backside" Thank God for Roy Hudd (not an opera singer) who bought some humour to the long evening, and also to Richard Suart. Amanda Roocroft and John Graham-Hall somewhat saved the evening, but were somewhat drowned by the rest of this very disappointing production. Come on ENO you can do better than this. I await with some trepidation the production of "Candide". Do I get some recompense for not seeing the artist I had paid to see? Thomas Bates
Review from Brian
Carry On Up The Widow!
ENO have succeeded in given Lehár's ode to adultery a wonderful end-of-the-pier feel and deserve each and every 3 out of 5 star review from the press.
Acrobatic waiters, some outrageous Python-esque French accents and several Brobdingnagian pouffes help set the scene for this likeable operetta. The sympathetic length of interval is to be applauded, as is the plethora of moustaches on stage throughout, in particular Richard Suart's which some may argue actually goes some way to upstaging the eponymous widow's lapdog which makes a brief appearance.
Roy Hudd's timing is certainly comical and his inspired decision to play Njegus as a homage to Sid James will perhaps finally silence those critics who have suggested his success may in the past have relied too heavily on his infamous feathered side-kick, Emu.
So with a formula like that it seems natural to wonder, what exactly prevents this production from reaching the heady heights of 4 star praise? A few things spring to mind.
Firstly, as has been mentioned in other reviews, the clarity of singing at times left a little to be desired. This was highlighted when the surtitles failed during Danilo's waltz with Hanna, in particular the lyric "suddenly another man is in your arms" which took on an entirely new and surprising meaning when the final word was enunciated less than clearly.
Secondly, the level to which the some of the grisettes' skirts were raised throughout the performance left certain sections of the Coliseum feeling violated at best and nauseous at worst. It is debatable whether this problem could have been solved by casting women as Dido, Lilo and Petit-Filou (as I believe is traditional for the these roles) as the men did give a somewhat intriguing "pantomime dame" facet to the production.
And so we ask, is it a case of seven months too early or five months too late? It's difficult to know which of these two categories this production fits into, but perhaps this could be the start of a new trend of pantomimes being performed at any time of the year. At the very least this particular member of the audience finds himself asking, why not? Yours, B Blessed Droitwich
Review from Donald
When the production started, the cast seemed a little quiet and subdued, and were in some cases hard to hear. However, the second and third acts were magnificent - joyful, well sung and acted, and delivered with style and enjoyment. We all thoroughly enjoyed the evening and thought that Roy Hudd's spoken song was just one of several highlights. Many thanks for a great evening's entertainment that sparked and bubbled. Donald Campbell (stalls)
Review from James
Dear Sir, I occupied seat H25 in the Upper Circle at tonight's performance of The Merry Widow. I have loved that operetta since my school days, but I can honestly say that I was left totally cold by tonight's performance. Admittedly, I didn't realise that it was a new production of the Merry Widow when I booked it, otherwise I might have thought twice about seeing it. I was very disappointed at what I saw and heard. Much of the singing was barely audible as the orchestra played too loudly. Only Roy Hudd could be heard clearly at all times. Alfie Boe is one of my favourite singers, but I felt that he was wasted in this show. I couldn't believe how far away it all seemed given the cost of the ticket, and I could have done with the Hubble Telescope to enable me to see what was going on. I also hated the translation. Whilst I greatly appreciate "seaside postcard" humour with its innuendo, I don't think it belongs in the Merry Widow. It was just like a Carry On script set to music. The set was more or less the same from start to finish; a staircase which looked as if it had been supplied by B & Q.
I have been attending the Coliseum since my school days, some thirty years ago, but I feel that your 'new productions' are too much of a departure from what one has come to expect from the ENO and they have alienated me. It will be a very long time before I spend such a sum of money to come to the Coliseum if tonight's show was anything to go by. Regards, James Morgan
Review from John
Firstly I must state that I enjoyed the performances and the show a great deal, but was disappointed in the production.
Essentially the Merry Widow is of an age of Elegance, opulence, grace, and etiquette,, this I felt was lost to some degree by reducing it to the realms of pantomime in parts.
I have always been a great admirer of Roy Hudd for many years, however for me he was not really a part of the story at all just a series of (very well done I might say) interludes of music hall comedy, I think it was a bad mistake to change some of the traditionally interpretation of the story to fit his act.
Needless to say the singing and cast was well up to ENO standard, and a joy to listen to as with the orchestra. I felt that some of the acting could have been a little more polished.
The costumes and sets were not really in keeping with what I would have expected , the costumes were pretty but lacked the elegance of the period, and Hanna's final one ; the one that is suppose to wow Dinilo as well as the audience was nothing in my view more than a very nice evening dress.
As for the sets. I think the less said the better,they looked as if they were restricted because it was only a 12 run performance, so much more could have been done, even if only with back projection to bring a little more grandeur to them,in the garden scene there appeared to be two hanging baskets of discarded Christmas decorations. Not at all what one would have expected of the ENO. The old adage still holds good, if you cannot do it properly then leave it alone.
I must confess to being a biased having seen the recordings of both Joan Sutherlands final performance of the part in Australia, also the Canadian production, in which the wonderful music and dancing at Maxims was included I was rather sad that when seeing it for the first time in England we could not match their standard of performance.
However as I say I enjoyed the show, it was different, and to be back into the Coliseum once again now it has been brought back to its former glory was a very great pleasure so thank you so much for that.
Good luck for the rest of the season, and if you produce the Merry Widow again please think hard as to what it demands of you rather than what you demand of it. yours sincerely John W. Pilgrim
Review from Patricia
I was sitting in the dress circle for last night's production in seats E49 and 50 We thought the diction of the principals in Act 1 was very poor indeed - thanks goodness for the surtitles, It did improve and the sets and costumes were stunning. Roy Hudd was brilliant and every word of his could be heard. Best wishes Pat Thompson ( IRREGULAR ATTENDEE BUT IF CHEAPER WOULD COME MORE!)
