Anna Burnside reviews ‘a delightful and faithful production skilfully performed and beautifully staged’.
When Sir Thomas Allen first directed this traditional take on Mozart’s masterwork, in 2010, it felt like the period piece it is.
Fast forward to 2026 and, in the long tale of Me Too and the Epstein files, a comedy about a count unwilling to relinquish his droit de signeur suddenly feels more current.
Add in one of the most famous trouser roles in opera - Cherubino, the horny page persuaded into female dress for a complex act of comeuppance - and this feels like a modern comedy of manners performed in breeches.
All of this is purely coincidental - this Figaro is first and foremost a delightful and faithful production skilfully performed and beautifully staged in an airy, evocative set.
The cupboards and dust sheets, which play pivotal roles in a plot that involves a good deal of hiding, peeping and locking of doors, merge artfully into a faded colour palette which gently anchors the visuals in the past.
One of the changes is that this production is sung in English. Amanda Holden’s clever translation avoids the jarringly modern while ringing the most out of the comedy. Understanding the words in real time foregrounds the funny, and there are a couple of moments where it verges on Gilbert and Sullivan—but these are rare enough to be a pleasure rather than a problem.
The cast bring physicality as well as impeccable singing. Simone McIntosh is a fearless Cherubino, cleverly showing us the clumpy boots beneath her flowing dress. Edward Hawkins is a particularly satisfying Doctor Bartolo, making a middle-aged noise as he gets up from a chair, relishing the revelation of his rakish past.
Thanks to current events, this Figaro is both thought provoking and an evening of delicious arias and frothy fun at the same time. And, in 2026, who does not need a bit of that?
The Marriage of Figaro performs at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow until May 23, 2026. It then performs at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh (29 May-June 6), His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen (June 11-13) and Eden Court, Inverness (June 18-20). Days and times vary, so for full details go to the production’s website.
Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic.
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