Who says opera can’t comment on contemporary issues, this proving its worth in an all-too sceptical modern society? You only have to look at the amazing success of Battersea Arts Centre’s Jerry Springer The Opera since its first workshop performances in August and September 2001. For those lucky enough to catch it there could be only one conclusion: this is the funniest night at the opera, ever!
Written by Stewart Lee (of TV’s Lee & Herring fame) and composed by the indefatigable Richard Thomas, Jerry Springer The Opera is back for just two-and-a-half weeks, and is promised to be wilder than ever before.
The premise is simple: the opera audience finds itself part of the Jerry Springer TV show experience, with the chorus (ideally, but not necessarily) spread out in the real audience, chanting the expected “Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!” and ever-lewder comments while guests come on to the show to tell their loved ones – in song – their personal secrets. Arias, recitatives, duets and choruses there are (should you wish to call them that), otherwise you are swept away with the sheer audacity of the libretto.
Yes, there is a transvestite (“chick with a dick”), a guy whose fantasy is to wear diapers while having sex (and more) and many more of life’s most weird and wonderful characters (normal opera plots seem quite restrained compared to Jerry Springer!). But there are also moments of utmost poignancy, where simple wishes for a good life, or the desire to lose oneself in dancing, are brought into clear focus. What better indication could there be of the unique power of opera?
Having said that (if it isn’t already obvious), this is not a show for the faint-hearted; the swearword quotient is high (indeed whole choruses are made up of just such words), and there are those that may find the content unpalatable. Then again, Verdi and Mozart et al often faced the censors for the audacious political plotting, so we kid ourselves that opera has always been a genteel art.
Anyone interested in how opera can conquer in the 21st century should not miss this production!
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter