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!
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, 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
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph