The Barber of Seville, Wales Millennium Centre, theatre review: A great romp which kept the audience chuckling

Ralph Koltai’s abstract, swivelling walls reflect crazy costumes and giddy antics, highlighting Kelley Rourke’s unashamedly burlesque English translation

Barber of Seville

‘Figaro Forever’ is the rallying cry of Welsh National Opera’s new three-part season, devoted to Beaumarchais’ lovable, roguish fixer-factotum. But as Rossini’s eponymous barber - first off the blocks - his cheeky vigour is more ‘Carry On Figaro’ in director Sam Brown’s new production, with a score renowned for its whirlwind comedy bag of tricks, and which is played as an ebullient, affectionate farce.

The helter-skelter jokes are on pompous Bartolo (Andrew Shore), whose designs on his half-hussy, rebellious ward, Rosina (Claire Booth), are thwarted by Figaro’s wits in service of the smitten Count-cum-boy scout, Almaviva (Nicholas Lester and Nico Darmanin). In this excellent, well-matched cast, a blind Basilio (Richard Wiegold, complete with bespectacled guide dog), slatternly Berta (Rosie Hay) and an army of cross-dressing peasant women set the hilarity seal, with conductor James Southall offering sturdy and (mostly) well-timed support from the pit.

Sighing sentimentality this is not. But neither is Rossini and, comically exaggerating his bel canto, Brown pokes amiable fun at fustier reaches of operatic tradition. Ralph Koltai’s abstract, swivelling walls reflect crazy costumes and giddy antics, highlighting Kelley Rourke’s unashamedly burlesque English translation. It’s a great romp, and the audience laughed and laughed.