New world created in old music hall: Paul Bunyan at Wilton's

By Roy Westbrook, 04 September 2018

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“Elgan Llŷr Thomas was a charismatic Johnny Inkslinger”

Reviewed at Wilton's Music Hall, London on 3 September 2018

Britten, Paul Bunyan

English National Opera

Matthew Kofi Waldren, Conductor

Jamie Manton, Director

Camilla Clarke, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Elgan Llŷr Thomas, Johnny Inkslinger

Rowan Pierce, Tiny

William Morgan, Hot Biscuit Slim

Graeme Lauren, Sam Sharkey

Trevor Bowes, Ben Benny

Andrew Tinkler, Cross Crosshaulson

Paul Sheehan, Jen Jenson

Geraint Hylton, Pete Peterson

Adam Sullivan, Andy Anderson

Claire Pendleton, Fido

Ella Kirkpatrick, Moppet

Lydia Marchione, Poppet

David Newman, Western Union Boy

Robert Winslade Anderson, John Shears

ENO’s Mahagonny: biting, bleak, brilliantly executed satire

David Karlin, 16th February

Never has Brecht and Weill’s satire on the inhumanity of man to man been render with such utter darkness; Simon O’Neill heads up a superb cast.

*****

Taken for a ride: an energetic revival of Così fan tutte at ENO

Dominic Lowe, 6th February

English National Opera's revival of Phelim McDermott’s popular production is a blend of spectacle with some first-class singing, with Lucy Crowe emphasising her Mozartian credentials.

****1

Cocteau-esque camp: Alden’s Partenope returns to ENO

Mark Valencia, 20th November

Christopher Alden’s Olivier Award-winning production of Handel’s Partenope returns to the Coliseum, but it's the singing that earns the plaudits.

****1

Dead Man Walking at English National Opera: a superb execution

David Karlin, 1st November

Anneliese Miskimmon's ENO production of Jake Heggie and Terence McNally's tale of crime, repentance, compassion and redemption compels from start to finish.

*****

Comedy falls flat in ENO's season opening Cinderella

Mark Valencia, 27th September

Julia Burbach and her designer, Herbert Murauer, are defeated by the wide canyons of the Coliseum stage in their modern-dress Cinderella.

**111

ENO gives Thea Musgrave's Mary, Queen of Scots a worthy performance

Nick Boston, 15th February

Musgrave's powerful depiction of a powerful woman at the mercy of male manipulation receives a strong staging from at ENO.

****1

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Roy Westbrook

Roy Westbrook gained a diploma in music history at London University (Morley College) and was for some years the head of music day schools at Oxford University, where he also led music summer schools. After some years leading the University's business school he has returned to music teaching and writing, and recently took part in the Arts in Residence courses on Bruckner, Mahler and Bach He is co-author (with Terry Barfoot) of a history of opera, and has taught day schools on Sibelius in Oxford and elsewhere.