Based on Giovanni Paisiello's 18th Century comic opera The Imaginary Astrologer, James Farwell's The Fabulist is set in Mussolini's Italy of 1929. The Church now has authority over culture and education, and magicians, or fabulists, are seen as perpetrating pernicious falsehoods. This attitude is matched by the Church's almost equally suspicious view of science, and both are threatened by the empowered clerics. Farwell's tale tells the story of a magician, Julian/Agrofontido, and his companion, Pupuppini, who decide to hide from the powers that be on a movie set where two sisters, the director, Cassandra, and scriptwriter, Clarice, ply their trade. These two have differing views on the role of film, whether it is primarily art or entertainment, and this debate parallels the concern of their father, the scientist Count Petronius who questions the role of magic as opposed to science. On top of these rather knotty thematic issues there is also a satiric commentary on the forces of religion and politics. Thematically a lot is going on here, and it is all compounded by a love story in which Clarice demands her suitors, of whom Julian becomes the latest, to prove their love by accomplishing certain feats of daring. Themes and plotlines are then all wrapped up in a lot of slapstick comedy that sometimes misses the mark. The music of Paisiello may lack the complexity and memorability of Mozart, but it is vivacious and thoroughly enjoyable. Farwell's new lyrics are clever and amusing, but the issue remains the overwrought book and forced humour. The musical highpoint is probably Clarice's aria "Love Guide Me," but it might have been even more effective without the head microphone which tended to dilute the quality of the sound. As Clarice, Réka Jónás demonstrates an appealing voice, and her duets with Cassandra, played by Lily De La Haye, are nicely rendered. For us, James Paterson's turn as the wacky scientist, Count Petronius was utterly charming, recalling L. Frank Baum's the wizard of Oz. As the lovestruck Julian, Dan Smith, along with Constantine Andronikou, who plays his sidekick, Pupuppini are both suitably outrageous, and the former's magic tricks certainly add to the fun. As the cartoonish baddie, Cardinal Bandini, Stuart Pendred gets into the spirit of the piece, but ultimately the lightness of the presentation is overwhelmed by the ponderousness of the script. Still, The Fabulist has some moments of magic.
Rated: ★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Mark Senior
Want to save on tickets? See our Tips page.
When, Where, Getting there:
%20in%20Love%20in%20Action%20(c)%20Takashi%20Okamoto.jpeg)
.jpg)
.tif)
%20and%20Clare%20Foster%20(Elowen%20Keene).%20Photo%20Marc%20Brenner.jpg)
