Truth be told, when I was asked to review Soulpepper’s latest production, The Barber of Seville, based on Pierre Beaumarchais’ 1775 French farce and Rossini’s 1816 opera, I initially balked. Soulpepper, I adore. French farce? Je t’aime. But opera? No grazie.
Luckily, Michael O’Brien and John Millard’s adaptation blends the perfect amount of whimsical humour with melancholic musical interludes, meaning there are less glass-shattering operatics and more banjo-plucking, toe-tapping tunes, which makes for a riotous romp.
The story itself is one of which commedia dell’arte tales are made: boy (in this case, Count Almaviva, played by Gregory Prest) falls in love with girl (Rosina, played by Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster) at first sight. Girl is betrothed to another (her elderly guardian, Dr. Bartolo, played by Oliver Dennis). Boy must go undercover to win the girl’s heart and enlists the help of the court jester — or in this case, the doctor’s barber (Dan Chameroy’s Figaro) — to get closer to the girl. Bugs Bunny-worthy schemes ensue (including one where Almaviva dresses as a balloon-bosomed lady).
Though billed as a musical, I would counter that the production is a hodgepodge of comedy and music more akin to vaudeville than straight-up musical theatre: there are tons of sight gags, and there is stage combat. Millard’s accompanying orchestra is actually a hillbilly country band, with folks decked out in overcoats and scarves, playing an accordion, a banjo, a bass, a flute, a mandolin, a violin and various guitars, all with gusto. O’Brien’s book is peppered with modern day pop culture references, including a nod to Carly Rae Jepsen’s ubiquitous hit, “Call Me Maybe,” and even a line from Dan Hill’s “Sometimes When We Touch” (which was my personal fave). Basically, the play is anachronistic anarchy, and director Leah Cherniak weaves it all together in a highly entertaining fashion.
But if I were to grade the production on a musical theatre curve, then my enthusiasm for the show would drop ever so slightly. As much as it is obvious that all the actors involved are having a grand time onstage, they are not strong singers (besides Chameroy, who can clearly carry a tune). Still, as someone who didn’t want an opera and who happily didn’t receive one, I actually relished in the perfectly imperfect vocal range of Barber’s cast, because what they lack in musical dexterity (with the exception of Ch’ng Lancaster who, as part of the orchestra, proved she can play a flute like nobody’s business) they make up for with precise comedic timing and loads of charm.
Chameroy is wonderful as the rascally rogue Figaro, and he makes for a fabulous counterpart to Prest’s always amusing Almaviva. Dennis, a Soulpepper stalwart, once again proves he’s worth his salt by making his despicable doctor so darn likable, and Ch’ng Lancaster packs a lot of punch with her strong-yet-sensual portrayal of Rosina.
If a night at the opera is what you’re looking for, then look elsewhere. But this rendition of The Barber of Seville is probably the one that you’ll enjoy the most.
The Barber of Seville, Soulpepper Theatre Company, Young Centre for the Performing Arts. Runs until June 8