Ian Judge’s production was good in 2006 and 2010 and it still holds up. I’ve never been sold on Tim Goodchild’s sets that seem to place the fun in an swanky 1980s Italian horror movie, but the emphasis remains on humor.
And this time around the cast was blessed with singers who were expert clowns, especially Doctor Bartolo (Kristinn Sigmundsson) and Marcellina (Lucy Schaufer). The last time we saw Ryan McKinny he was Stanley in Streetcar Named Desire; he was a clever choice for the Count, playing him as a clueless peacock.
His wife, the Countess, has her moments of flirtation—what else does she have to do?—and moments of silliness, but Guanqun Yu emphasized her pathos and solitude. She really is one of the greatest female characters: suffering because of her fidelity, and in the end, suffusing the household with forgiveness.
Comments