La Vie Parisienne

La Vie Parisienne premiered in Paris in October 1866. It was Offenbach’s first full-length piece to portray contemporary Parisian life, and was an amazing success with over 320 performances. Full of humour, romance, silliness and champagne, it proved to be just the thing to cheer us on another damp, dank February night! And cheer us, KASJOG certainly did, this fabulous production, set this time in the 1920s, was full of vim and pep, great characters, wonderful music, dancing and costumes. Split into two acts, with two scenes each, the scenes all had a lively finale, thus a chance for super ensemble numbers. As well as the overture, there were three further opportunities for us to enjoy the orchestra itself, in the Paris Interlude and the two Entr’acte pieces.

We were offered a well-designed and informative programme, with a great front cover; interesting Chairman’s note; a page on the history of KASJOG; the ever useful list of past productions; a good concise synopsis; and directors’ and cast profiles.

The set was generally a wood-panelled backdrop, with changing pictures and props, simple and effective. The railway station was suggested by a Gare de l’ouest sign with clock attached, a table and chairs. The false ‘hotel’ where Raoul takes the Swedish baron and his wife, was simply furnished with none of the usual accoutrements of the real thing and high Parisian society that we saw later in the ‘grand society’ party Bobinet put on in his absent aunt’s grand mansion, and in the fine restaurant of Marcel, the Maitre d’Hotel. Props I remember especially were various cleaning implements as the servants set about preparing for the grand party, with black feather dusters, brooms, and even a carpet sweeper (younger members of the audience might have wondered what this strange implement was!) There were also any number of champagne bottles and glasses – these kept breaking, which was amusing, on the night we visited. Lighting was excellent, giving the show great atmosphere.

Musical Director Laura Brown did a grand job of conducting the 9-piece orchestra, and ensuring a fine balance of sound between voices and instruments. As I’ve noted often before, KASJOG performers have mastered the art of clear diction, always a great joy to be able to understand the lyrics clearly.

The costumes were superb. Ladies in 1920s day dresses for the railway station scene, of all different colours and patterns, but very much of the period, with a good few cloche hats in evidence too. There were some striped blazers and boaters for the men. Metella and Gabrielle dressed with style, in elegant dresses with furs over their shoulders and charming hats. Our ‘men about town’,  Bobinet and Raoul, were a pair of natty dressers. The servants, with their black feather dusters, were impeccably turned out in black and white uniforms. For the party scene though, they were all transformed. The most lovely 1920s cocktail dresses, all fringes, low waists and many sparkles, provided the most exuberant atmosphere – I particularly remember Pauline’s red and black number (though that may have been in an earlier scene), Metella’s white one, and Gabrielle’s marvellous dark olive green one. Splendid! Never let it be said that costumes are not that important, for me they definitely are.

First we met those two charmers, Bobinet and Raoul who had fallen out over their shared infatuation for the glamorous courtesan Metella. When she arrived, hanging on the arm of her latest admirer, the two promptly made it up and decided to focus their attentions once more on the more reliable ‘Ladies of Society’, who they had neglected of late. Right from the start Luke Leeves as Raoul and Matthew Lawson as Bobinet made their characters very real and believable, as well as likeable and great fun. We were excited to see what they would get up to. They were also both in fine voice, and really held the stage.

Wishing to find, at the very least, a Baroness to impress, Raoul heard of the imminent arrival of the wealthy Swedes, Baron and Baroness Gondremarck, innocents abroad really on their first visit to Paris and keen to experience all that Paris had to offer, and he determined to intercept them at the railway station, and make a play for the Baroness. He needed Bobinet to take the Baron off his hands and impress him also. Mark Lewis played the naïve and rather over-eager Baron very well, it was a delight to watch his emersion into Paris high society, with all that champagne and the lovely ladies. The scene where he had partaken of far too much champagne was very funny, well done Mark! Elizabeth Loveder carried off the role of the flirty Baroness with great aplomb, and much twinkling of the eyes. The Baron was much taken with Pauline, one of the servants, who was transformed into a really classy lady with much pizazz once the feather duster had been put away, and the gorgeous cocktail dress put on. Anne Crow made this role her own and was great fun to watch.

The sweetest and possibly cleverest character was the glovemaker Gabrielle, who saw her way to going up in the world once she met the very wealthy Brazilian would be Lothario, Brazil. Sue Prior was in fine voice and acted very well. As did Giselle Thorne as Metella, both women of great style. David Saunders gave an amusing turn as Marcel, the Maitre d’Hotel.

But I think we were all totally bowled over by Michael Crow as Brazil, he was absolutely fantastic, larger than life, full of joie de vivre, as he took over as Master of Ceremonies at the party dressed in his long gold robe with flowing sleeves, and dark pink turban with long feather. This was a performance that will stay long in my memory.

So, great casting, good dancing (choreography by Lorraine Landon) and staging, jolly ensemble numbers, lots of good jokes both visual and verbal, fine direction from Martine Young. This was a great team effort – another KASJOG evening to cherish.

 

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