In 2003 Biggins and fellow comedian Phil Scott rewrote Crémieux and Halévy’s libretto for director Ignatius Jones’ then new production for Opera Australia. The 2013 revival is what in the opera world is known as a “restudied” production, meaning that Biggins was free to use his imagination within the confines of the set and costumes of Jones’ show. He and Scott modified the 2003 libretto to reflect the issues that preoccupy contemporary Australia. “This revival is very entertaining and very funny, and I think audiences will enjoy themselves a lot,” Biggins says, adding that Dancing with the Stars judge Todd McKenney, who performs the dual role of Aristaeus/Pluto and leads the can-can, brings “a Broadway sensibility” to the show.McKenney is partnered by Avenue Q star Mitchell Butel (John Styx), who had OA audiences in stitches with his portrayal of Ko-Ko in the Company’s 2011 Mikado revival.
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The star of the show is Mark Thompson’s rich and sumptuous set which, says Biggins, is full of visual wit. “It has pastoral fields, for example, but they’re confused with Outback Australia, with corrugated iron adorning the tops of temples.”
He was not involved in the casting process and admits, with a laugh, that as a director hailing from the world of spoken theatre, initially he found this operatic custom a little daunting. “In opera there are all sorts of restrictions that have to be taken into account – who’s available, who isn’t, who works for the Company – but it’s a bit of a shock when you meet your cast for the first time in the rehearsal room!”
In comedy, with its dependence on tempo and timing, a rapport between conductor and director is essential, and Biggins says he thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with Andrew Greene, whom he describes as “not precious at all”.
If contracting and polishing were part of the package that made such a success of Julie Taymor’s 2012 Magic Flute production, Biggins points out that Orpheus is a little more mischievous than Flute. “Offenbach was making fun of the French bourgeoisie acting like the Gods of Olympus getting down and dirty with the demi-mondewhile keeping up a pretence of propriety,” he says, “And not much has changed since then.” Nevertheless, this Orpheus is naughty rather than salacious. “Everyone has fun in hell, there’s a lot of bondage and leather gear, but it’s all done very tongue in cheek.”
Sounds like the summer season is drawing to a close on a high and slightly raucous note.