Albert Herring A Shining Comic Opera

If you are going to perform a comic opera, then why not do it in the round in the Howard Assembly Rooms, guaranteeing the perfect immersive experience?

That's exactly what Opera North’s brilliant revival of Giles Havergal’s (2013) production of Benjamin Britten's opera Albert Herring ingeniously demonstrates.

The audience sits in a horseshoe, with the majority making up two sides and the third element from the upstairs gallery. It creates an intimacy that envelops; at one point, the police superintendent speaks directly to an audience member.

Of course, this close-up action exposes the performers, and every nuance is closely observed: the timing, musical and acting, facial expressions and movements, and, just as important, the stunning chamber orchestra under the direction of Garry Walker.

Albert Herring was composed in 1947, the year that gave us the Ealing Comedies, and there is a hint of satire in Eric Crozier’s libretto, especially if the laugh-out-loud moments during the performance are anything to go by. Crozier beautifully captures the zeitgeist of an archetypal village—the snobby class values of English life at that time. There are also lovely nostalgic moments created by Leslie Travers wonderful moveable set, especially in Act 2, Scene 1, as the May Fair begins. In the first act the greengrocer's shop is suitably adorned with real fruit and veg.

Herring lives in the East Anglican village of Loxford and is your stereotypical milksop, a repressed young man with a dominant mother. Is there a gay suggestion here? When the village committee, comprising Mr Gedge the vicar (William Dazeley), Miss Wordsworth schoolteacher (Amy Freston), police superintendent Mr Budd (Richard Mosley-Evans), and Loxford’s mayor, Mr Upfold (Paul Nilon), meet with Lady Billows (Judith Howarth) at her home, a suitable virtuous young lady cannot be found to be May Queen, thanks to Florence Pike (Heather Shipp) as Lady Billows' upright and gossipy housekeeper.

Attention turns to a possible May King—scandal-free Albert Herring (Dafydd Jones) from the greengrocers. All it takes, however, is one spiked rum-laced lemonade to throw everything into disarray.

Of course, using a small space means that the performers have to move around in order for all sections of the audience to see the action, and Movement Director Tim Claydon’s marvellous choreography achieves that, adding to the brilliance of the production.

Revival Director Elaine Tyler-Hall’s stylish cast portrays character superbly, and it is the little asides that make this an entertaining production, such as Superintendent Budd’s ('Evening All' movement) - he certainly brought hilarity to the part.

The children led by Rosa Sparks as Emmie Spashett, were enchanting, and the performance showcased up-and-coming talent such as Willow Bell and Oliver Mason, who, along with Rosa, acted and sang superbly well. Dominic Sedgwick as the confident Sid and his girlfriend Nancy (Katie Bray), a gorgeous voice, shared some lovely moments delightfully expressed in a duet.

Overall, the ensemble’s diction was good for the acoustics. As for Heather Shipp, she owned the performance space with wonderful comic gestures and a lovely voice. I wanted to dislike her, but she won me over. The dance scene when the committee has finally persuaded Lady Billows is a delightful moment where Albert Herring meets My Fair Lady.

Claire Pascoe as Mrs Herring, Albert’s mother, got into the role, depicting her character well and conveying the deferential message of the time, especially the moment she is preparing for Lady Billows to march her committee into the shop.

It is one of many lovely moments, and with the grocer connection, and Lady Billows' pearls, I thought we had Mrs Thatcher reincarnated in Judith Howarth, with her commanding presence and strong, full-throated voice, bringing her character fully to life; Dazeley’s smarminess was great and his voice was suited to the role, as was Nilon's tenor which had a nice edge to it.

Dafydd Jones gets Herring’s awkwardness off to a tee as he confidently makes his debut with Opera North; he has a lovely mellow tone. He looked the part and communicated his predicament well, especially as he sat trembling before he was crowned.

But concentrating on the all-round excellence of the theatrics, what about the element of opera that helps seal the deal—the music?

Britten’s score is in the main excellent, and at times he has some melodious moments. Garry Walker’s direction in such an exposed space is first-rate, and his musicians respond with precision and attention to detail.

The nuances are brought out by the excellence of flautist Luke O’Toole, Andrew Beer on first violin, Annette Saunders on piano, and Céline Saout on harp, who, along with all the musicians, excelled with accuracy and control. Walker's band marvellously shaped the entr'actes.

This revival is a real treat, but obviously, due to the space, the company can’t accommodate as many audience members as in the main auditorium; as the performances were sold out weeks in advance, many may be disappointed but do try for tickets. Thankfully, the production will be filmed and made available to stream for free on the OperaVision platform later this year.

Watch out for it and enjoy this send-up of the ridiculousness that existed in British village life early in the 20th century that Britten and Crozier capture in full, absurd glory.