Spanish theatre troupe Yllana is enchanting London's theatre scene this week with their debut of "The Opera Locos" at the Peacock Theatre, Sadler’s Well’s venue in Holborn. Catching the wave of their celebrated showcase at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe last summer, this comedic opera sensation is an evening of sheer delight and entertainment.
You might think you don’t know your Puccini, Mozart or Verdi but this company have sprinkled a few favourites throughout alongside the more easily identifiable rhythms of rock and pop hits spanning from Whitney Houston to Mika. You might not be able to name Bizet’s signature musical line, but these classics have been in adverts and jingles since forever, and this sense of familiarity keeps everyone hooked. The result is an experience that transcends the experience of opera, appealing to audiences who see everything at Covent Garden and those who know Verdi’s Rigoletto from the Dr. Oetker pizza advert.
Featuring a medley of opera masterpieces by Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Rossini, and Bizet, intertwined with iconic pop and rock anthems such as Mika's "Grace Kelly" and Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You," "The Opera Locos" doesn’t differentiate between art forms. In this world where the British class system is meaningless and singers jump between Celine Dion and Puccini, there is no ‘high’ art (opera, ballet, Turner paintings) and ‘low art’ (pantomime, leather corsets, pop music, tight purple trousers), it is all just ‘Art’ - brave beautiful creativity that needs each other like any other symbiotic relationship.
With its blend of passion, humour, and musical virtuosity, "The Opera Locos" stands as a testament to the enduring allure of opera, with a refreshingly modern take complete with audience participation and a sense of fun more often seen in a Christmas panto. Get carried away on a theatrical journey like no other, as Yllana invites audiences to experience the magic of "The Opera Locos" up close and personal. Loved it.
It runs until 11 May.
Review: Caiti Grove