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