Stephanie Beacham, known worldwide for her role as Sable Colby in The Colbys and Dynasty, takes to the stage this season as the great diva Maria Callas, in the award winning Master Class by Terence McNally, directed by Jonathan Church. Read more …
Maria Callas remains one of the towering figures of the opera world. Larger- than-life and gorgeously glamorous she is as famous for her private life, her passionate love affair with the tycoon Aristotle Onassis, her rivalry with other opera singers and her untimely death in 1977, as for her extraordinary musical and dramatic talents.
Inspired by the master classes Callas gave in New York in the early seventies, Master Class invites you to observe the great diva in action as she puts three aspiring singers through their paces. Witty, bitchy, grandiose, demanding and insecure, she reminisces on the triumphs and tragedies of her life and career now that both her voice and her personal life have fallen apart.
Stephanie Beacham plays the iconic Callas. As well as The Colbys and Dynasty, Stephanie’s other major television credits include Tenko and Bad Girls. She also performed in series 6 of Strictly Come Dancing, played Martha, a love interest for Ken Barlow in Coronation Street and starred in Celebrity Big Brother 2010. Extensive stage work includes, most recently, Peter Hall’s production of Noel Coward’s Hay Fever.
Master Class was a huge hit on Broadway where it won both the 1996 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play and the 1996 Tony Award for Best Play. This new production is directed by Jonathan Church, the acclaimed artistic director of Chichester Festival Theatre. Multi Award-winning American playwright Terrence McNally’s work includes The Ritz, The Lisbon Traviata, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune and Love! Valour! Compassion! He has also written librettos for musicals including The Rink, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Ragtime and the USA version of The Full Monty.
A show that is moving, comic, tragic, and filled with human frailty and passion. Everything in fact that Callas believed great art should be.
The last master class is the balance of Jonathan Church’s concise and brilliantly timed direction. McNally makes the words echo the emotion of the music; Callas’ recorded voice brings that music to life; while Beacham’s Callas makes the words come to life. All told a true Master Class.
Beacham gives an electrifying performance.
Beacham struts the stage like she owns it, moving from wisecracking camp to the highest of romantic tragedies in a heartbeat.
This is a fascinating and excellently produced play, and one of the absolute highlights of the King’s Theatre programme.
Interview: Stephanie Beacham, actress
Greek tragedy
King's Theatre, Edinburgh from Tuesday February 8, 2011, until Saturday February 12, 2011. More info: http://www.edtheatres.com/kings
RSS feed of Theatre reviews