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