Park Theatre, London – until 9th August 2025
Reviewed by Celia Armand Smith
4****
Thinking he will never have another success after the hugely popular Pagliacci, Ruggero Leoncavallo (Alasdair Buchan) has great plans to write an opera based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger. He decides to tell his caring friend Giacomo Puccini (Sebastien Torkia) about his new idea only to learn that he too has read the same book and is also thinking about writing an opera called La bohème. What are the chances? Puccini of course denies being so devious, but this is a feud that will take them all the way to Vienna, by way of Venice, Gustav Mahler, and the rollercoaster of emotions that is creative output.
In That Bastard, Puccini!, the two composers race to finish their operas, while Leoncavallo’s long suffering wife Berthe (Lisa-Anne Wood) acts as umpire, soloist, and at times Puccini’s even more long suffering wife Elvira, and at one point the great Gustav Mahler. James Inverne’s splendidly madcap play about musical rivalry is peppered with clever research and modern parlance, creating a world that is easy to inhabit as an audience member. All three members of the cast are excellent, nimbly navigating the plot and the humour of which there is much. Sebastien Torkia is slick and hits every hilarious beat with precision as the suave Puccini, and Alasdair Buchan as the downcast and downtrodden Leoncavallo is quick to win sympathy with the audience as he constantly tries to catch up with Puccini who seems to be always one step ahead (and not afraid to gloat about it). Lisa-Anne Wood beautifully brings the music to life as she sings arias next to the piano, at one point being pulled this way and that in a composer tug of war.
Daniel Slater’s production is buoyant and pacey and the quieter more poignant moments are handled with a delicate touch. The set by Carly Brownbridge is a simple parlour with large scale musical notation adorning the floor, and clever concealed cupboards in the wooden panelling contain different props each time they are opened. The tables, chairs, and chaise longue transform into gondolas, cafes, and places for an onlooker to perch.
As someone who has been opera adjacent for most of their life, That Bastard, Puccini! is a fun and informative examination of two composing giants fighting for their moment in the spotlight, and I think we all know who won this particular battle. I did however listen to Pagliacci on my bike ride home, so I think Leoncavallo can count that as a win.