Musical
Carousel
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh
Marianne Gunn
Five stars
In this staging of Carousel, Leeds-based Opera North has produced a breathtaking reinvigoration of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical which was first performed on Broadway in 1945. From the outset, the production oozes class with the performances given a vocal edge thanks to the company's operatic training. Carousel itself is 70 years old, and although some of the themes and characters have been tested by the passing of time, the score is timeless in places (specifically duet If I Loved You and show-stopper You'll Never Walk Alone).
From the mesmeric opening sequence, the ensemble is pivotal to the staging: a carousel is cleverly conjured up on-stage amid the New England accents, before a shower of spring blossom sets the more romantic tone. The doomed romance between Julie Jordan and Billy Bigelow is adeptly played by Gillene Butterfield and Keith Higham, but it is the quality of their singing that really raises the bar. Other performances worthy of note come from Yvonne Howard as motherly Nettie Fowler and Joseph Shovelton as a pompously pleasing Enoch Snow.
The addition of a fantastic male dance troupe lifts the energy in some of the more dated set pieces (such as June Is Bustin' Out All Over and Blow High, Blow Low) and the second act 'Ballet' showcases an effortless Beverley Grant as Julie and Billy's blossoming daughter Louise, with simply wonderful choreography from Kim Brandstrup.
Conductor James Holmes and chorus master Anthony Kraus create a soaring soundtrack for the melodramatic action, as it becomes more than clear that the world of musical theatre and the conceits of opera can happily thrive side by side. An excellent touring production with fantastic attention to detail.
Run ends Saturday
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