19:00-19:45, Thursday 7th September 2023
The Cockpit
SHOW HOME
Music: Will Harmer
Words: Jaisal Marmion
WHEN THE SKY CRACKS OPEN
Music: George Parris
Words: Iris Supple-Still
A double bill exploring different perspectives of looking inward. Semi-staged and with a paired back approach to staging, the works touch on subjects of relationships, family drama, LGBTQ+ visibility in history and grief and loss with a musical language that embraces the narrative capabilities of musical theatre writing, combining it with the drama and tone of the opera hall. Originating as workshop pieces for the Royal Academy of Music, ‘Show Home’ and ‘When the Sky Cracks Open’ join forces for an evening of electrifying music and theatre.
Show Home
Kay likes to wander the streets at dusk, looking into the lit up windows of the rich, dreaming about what their lives must be like. One particular couple, Mr and Mrs Perfect, as she calls them, become her obsession; but all is not as it seems. When the sheen of perfection begins to crack, Kay is drawn ever closer to the window and into their life, perhaps too close…
When The Sky Cracks Open
During a lecture, a young archaeologist is forced to confront her deepest pain by the ghosts of her most recent find: a slave and master’s son fossilised in the ash of Mount Vesuvius. As these ancient characters unveil their love affair, so too must the archaeologist reveal her reasons for shunning love in all its forms.
Age Rating: All ages, but mostly adults.
Content Advisory: to see content advisories for Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival 2023 shows, click here.
Produced by Royal Academy Opera Makers
Venue: The Cockpit, Gateforth Street, London NW8 8EH.
https://www.instagram.com/lookinginwardopera/
Cast:
SHOW HOME
Music: Will Harmer
Libretto: Jaisal Marmion
Director: Sophie Daneman
Music Director: Enyi Okpara
Kay: Margarida Vaz Neto
Mr Perfect: Michael Temporal Darell
Mrs Perfect: Hera Protopapas Wettergren
WHEN THE SKY CRACKS OPEN
Music: George Parris
Libretto: Iris Supple-Still
Director: Sophie Daneman
Music Director: Enyi Okpara
Archaeologist: Lucy Thalange
Slave: Allyn Wu
Master’s Son: Michael Temporal Darell
On the same day:
SHOW HOME
Music: Will Harmer
Libretto: Jaisal Marmion
Director: Sophie Daneman
Music Director: Enyi Okpara
Kay: Margarida Vaz Neto
Mr Perfect: Michael Temporal Darell
Mrs Perfect: Hera Protopapas Wettergren
WHEN THE SKY CRACKS OPEN
Music: George Parris
Libretto: Iris Supple-Still
Director: Sophie Daneman
Music Director: Enyi Okpara
Archaeologist: Lucy Thalange
Slave: Allyn Wu
Master’s Son: Michael Temporal Darell