A Right Carry On: Handel’s Giulio Cesare at The Grange.
Cleopatra’s magical entertainment : illustration by Sarah Keen: The Grange
So listen up. Legendary Cleo of Egypt and Cesare of Rome. Bit of a situation. Cesare has invaded Egypt. Defeated Pompei. Cleo and Brother Ptolemy now rivals for the role of puppet rulers - but hold up. Cesare may forgive Pompei as his beautiful wife Cornelia and young son Sesto have arrived at court to plead for mercy. All good - end of story -all go home. WAIT - bad news. Oops Egyptian Tolomo arrives with Pompei’s head in a bag, All very embarrassing -lots of trauma. Cesare incandescent. Ptolemy will be toast. All agreed Cornelia utterly desirable and unfortunately for her is lusted over by both Tolomo, and Ptolemy. Cesare too was interested but Cleopatra, the little minx, seduces him completely. Cornelia is taken to Ptolemy’s harem with an imminent threat sexual violence hanging over her. Her little son is left both defenceless and desperate for revenge…
How would you direct this most beautiful of Handel’s operas? Here we see War and its twin brother Rape loosed upon the women of Egypt and Rome. Well in this case the director walked a fine line between farce and tenderness. Happily I report The Early Opera Company has crossed this dangerous tightrope in absolute style that left the audience both rocking with laughter and moved to tears by the opera’s heart-rending arias. Beautifully lit, the quality of singing and playing was just ravishing.
The duet between Cesare and Ptolemy is staged with a knowing nod to the now infamous photo of Putin and Macron seated at the far ends of an impossibly long table. A forensic attention to the score allows for a hilarious deadly musical game of chairs. In the same moment, Cesare’s comic timing allows a Russian roulette to develop around his unfortunate food tasters. The body count piles up. More than a nod to the film Roman Scandal here.
Jess Dandy’s Cornelia becomes an Amazon in this production. Menaced by an ISIS like security detail she seeks death amongst the wild animals and climbs into a tank of boa constrictors - puppets that are superbly manipulated by her guards. Finally emboldened by hope she turns on her captors and the snakes, overpowering them - looking to the audience - she merrily breaks the fourth wall while we cheer her on.
The clever staging allows a film like quality to the production. Peter Greenaway’s influence is everywhere. The scene where Ptolemy menaces Cornelia references The Draftsman's Contract where we realise to our horror that the Egyptian royal was camouflaged; only seen when he moved. Restless figures move or crawl through the scenery while casting Nerino as a Mummy is inspired.
Meanwhile Sarah Brady’s Cleo carries on overcoming every obstacle in her path. The audience adored her. She is cool, clever and vulnerable (carrying an asp in her handbag in case of emergencies). One of her final scenes is breath-taking where she is transformed into a Liza Minnelli/ Catherine Zeta Jones figure straight from the roaring twenties. An unexpected but harmonious thought of jazz entwined in the pulsing beat and entwined melodies of Handel’s score
Outside it was a beautiful day. The sun warm on our backs, the pavilions and marquees almost a dream of white against the lake and green of a classical English landscape. Everyone happy and chatty. The moon rose above us as the evening drew on. On the drive home hares paused to look at us, their blacked tipped ears flickering against verges of meadow grasses. It was England and it is Enchanting.
There is more there that unites us than divides us. Here we all were, from all continents, from all walks of life. We strolled in a Italianate landscape, listened to our most English of composers, the German Handel. We watched an artform that embraced all forms, from cross dressing, to pantomime, films and a profound understanding of how music can touch our souls. Here we were, watching political darkness transform into light.
Carry On dear Cleo - it is All That Jazz.
The next and final production of this opera at The Grange is 25th June. Not to be missed.
The Grange Festival - details here. Tickets from £12