Synopsis The tempestuous story of the lonely, disturbed Fosca whose obsessive passion threatens the happiness of Giorgio and his beautiful mistress, Clara. With a story that focuses on the internal torments of the protagonists set against the lives of a battalion of disaffected soldiers in a bleak frontier town, Sondheim and Lapine's adaptation of a 19th century Italian gothic novella takes musical theatre to exhilarating theatrical heights. Film called Passion d'Amore. Some performances cancelled. Check with Box Office.
In celebration of the 80th birthday of composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, the Donmar Warehouse has revived his 1994 musical Passion, a haunting gothic tale of love, desire and obsession, which opened last night (21 September 2010, previews from 10 September) and continues until 27 November.
David Thaxton stars as the hero Giorgio, a young officer separated from his mistress Clara (Scarlett Strallen), and sent away to a remote army outpost. There he’s relentlessly pursued by the devoted Fosca (Elena Roger), his commanding officer’s ailing cousin.
Passion is helmed by Donmar associate Jamie Lloyd, who previously directed Roger to Olivier Award-winning effect in the Donmar’s 2008 revival of Piaf, which also transferred to the West End. The new production, the centrepiece of the Donmar’s Sondheim at 80 season, is designed by Christopher Oram, with musical direction by Alan Williams.
Michael Coveney on Whatsonstage.com (two stars) - “In writing a romantic musical about consuming love, Stephen Sondheim wrote a show that is hard to like. The music is flat and uninspired for long stretches, almost shockingly banal at the start, and not really redeemed by some good anthems and chorales towards the end … Elena Roger is radiant even when supposedly hideous. Scarlet Strallen sings her letters, sometimes invading the soldiers’ table in the outpost, and basks in perennial happiness until she realises there’s another woman. Giorgio is sung with sterling bravura by David Thaxton, but his acting is full of face-pulls, and there’s no coherent emotional signal … Passion was under-heated first time round, and it’s still cooling.”
Charles Spencer in the Daily Telegraph (four stars) - “I have rarely posed as a Sondheimite, and the reverence with which he is regarded by his hard-core fans has often struck me as faintly embarrassing … Yet I watched Jamie Lloyd’s superb new production in a state of rapt concentration, and at the end felt I had witnessed a masterpiece … Elena Roger with her huge eyes, hungry mouth and waif-like fragility is by turns repulsive, menacing and finally wreathed with the rapture of love as Fosca. The burly David Thaxton, who makes her seem like a doll in his arms, powerfully captures the progress of an initially bland young man into the coils of inescapable passion, while Scarlett Strallen suggests a far more wholesome sexuality as his mistress … You may either love or hate this show, but it is impossible to feel indifferent to its raw power and emotional candour.”
Henry Hitchings in the Evening Standard (three stars) - “Passion is a highly unconventional musical. While it has Stephen Sondheim’s trademark mix of sentiment, lyricism and irony, the music, which at times almost dissolves into dissonance, lacks the sort of tunes that impose themselves on the memory … Yet Sondheim’s score possesses a pointed, even argumentative quality that insinuates itself into the imagination … While the format may be conventional, Sondheim suffuses it with darkness. It’s clear from the moment we first see Fosca that obsession is likely to be the death of her. Images of power, manipulation and illness pervade her story. Elena Roger makes Fosca a doll-like, otherworldly creation. Her voice is explosive, yet can convey great delicacy … Yet Passion, despite its gorgeousness, feels cold.”
Libby Purves in The Times (five stars) - “Looking back in a daze at this violent production, it is easy to laugh off the gothic gloom. During it, you can’t. The intimacy of the Donmar – smell the candlewax, the gunpowder – is matched by the intense musical score and by performances that carry you through, headfirst and helpless … The moment Elena Roger steps onstage, drab-veiled, great eyes staring from dark sockets, the air thickens. It is impossible to do justice to her Fosca, even if you saw her as Piaf under the same director Jamie Lloyd … Thaxton conveys the big dragoon’s transformation well, David Birrell brings dignity to the colonel and Allan Corduner to the doctor. The chorus of officers works well. But it is Roger who holds you mesmerised, whether in shameless pursuit or victorious metamorphosis … The fifth star is all hers.”
Michael Billington in the Guardian (four stars) - “Over the years the Donmar has loyally revived some of Stephen Sondheim's least-loved musicals, such as Assassins and Merrily We Roll Along. Now, in celebration of the composer's 80th birthday, it brings us a Sondheim show that has not only been somewhat marginalised but is itself about love's unpredictability. And, if the result is a triumph, it is because of the production's enfolding intimacy and an imaginative stroke of casting … In short, this is a show about the incurable obsessiveness of love; and the idea is expressed not just through Roger's performance but through the fluency of Lloyd's staging … Maybe this will never be Sondheim's most loved show; but what this production beautifully communicates is the unstoppable force of passion.”
Quentin Letts in the Daily Mail (four stars) - "Tiny Elena Roger... has an astonishing voice. The moment she starts singing in this Stephen Sondheim musical... the thing starts to motor ... Miss Roger has a beautiful, tender purr to her singing ... Repeatedly, the audience may find itself tempted to shout ‘Don’t do it, mate!’ Not that we would dare in a Sondheim musical, but there are times when Giorgio’s innocence is frustratingly hard to believe. Mr Sondheim is a major talent, but can be elusive, dispensing melodies the way certain in-laws pour sherry — in maddeningly tiny dribs. This score lacks a memorable tune yet is perfectly easy on the ear ... Fosca is what in my student days we used to call a ‘plate smasher’, the sort of young woman who would snip your trousers to ribbons if she felt neglected. In Miss Roger’s highly capable hands she alternates dewy, cross-eyed devotion with piercing stares of hawkish intensity. And that voice? Passion in a female lynx’s larynx."
In writing a romantic musical about consuming love, Stephen Sondheim wrote a show that is hard to like. The music is flat and uninspired for long stretches, almost shockingly banal at the start, and not really redeemed by some good anthems and chorales towards the end.
I’m sorry, I only want to hear one person sing a song with “happiness” in the title, and that’s Ken Dodd. But with one weak link in the casting, Jamie Lloyd’s exquisitely arranged revival – less hysterical and less overblown than the 1996 London premiere with Maria Friedman and Michael Ball – makes the best possible case for a second look.
Both married lover Clara (Scarlett Strallen) and deformed invalid Fosca (Elena Roger) have Giorgio on their minds. He’s an Italian soldier diverted from a sunlit dalliance by a posting in a remote garrison; and Fosca, like Tosca, pines and perishes on the ramparts.
Roger is radiant even when supposedly hideous. Strallen sings her letters, sometimes invading the soldiers’ table in the outpost, and basks in perennial happiness until she realizes there’s another woman. Giorgio is sung with sterling bravura by David Thaxton, but his acting is full of face-pulls, and there’s no coherent emotional signal.
James Lapine’s book is adapted from an 1869 novel and a 1981 movie, both Italian. The subject is not really Sondheim’s style, and he doesn’t do Rodgers and Hammerstein, or Puccini, as well as Andrew Lloyd Webber does.
Christoper Oram’s design of frisky frescoes and green doors, Neil Austin’s beautiful lighting and Alan Williams’ musical direction are all well up to Donmar scratch. Lloyd’s company move smartly on and off, bearing furniture, like a bunch of singing removal men; there are some lovely chiaroscuro effects with raised glasses and candlelight. Passion was under-heated first time round, and it’s still cooling.
This has always been my ‘problem Sondheim’. I don’t find the story at all convincing, so I find it difficult to engage with it. I admire it, but I don’t love it in the way I love most of his shows. It’s set in 19th century Italy and the story concerns an army officer, his affair with a married woman and the obsession of the sister of a fellow officer with him. The love affair between Giorgio and Clara rings true, but there’s an implausibility about the behaviour of Fosca and the reaction of Giorgio. It’s played for 110 minutes without a break and the music is almost all sung dialogue rather than songs, so it feels like an opera rather than a musical. On its first London outing 14 years ago, it was a bit lost on a bigger West End stage. A more ‘chamber’ staging here at the Donmar is better suited to the piece and Christopher Oram’s period design is simply superb. Jamie Lloyd’s staging is stunning, elegant and flowing, much helped by Scott Ambler’s brilliant choreography / movement. A perfect combination of period style and elegance. Elena Roger follows her extraordinary Evita and Piaf with another fine performance as Fosca, but it was David Thaxton who blew me away with a terrific and appropriately passionate performance as Giorgio. Scarlett Strallen (yes, another Strallen - is there a production line?!) also impresses as Clara. In fact, there isn’t a fault in the casting, with every role excellently played and exceptionally sung. Alan Williams’ small 9-piece string and woodwind dominated band played the gentle lush score beautifully. Whatever you think of the show, it was and still is original and ground-breaking and here it’s given a definitive production in a theatre it seems to be made for. It won’t be the highlight of Sondheim’s 80th year for me, but I’m very glad I saw it again. - Gareth James
23 Nov 10
The show is called passion yet i felt nothing. In fact i felt so much nothing it left no lasting impression on me at all. Which is a MASSIVE shame because this is (rather tricky to get right) but equally a brilliant show, however wunderkind Jamie Lloyd has blanded it out so much that the safety net it catches us in leaves me in no doubt as to why it's had such luke warm reviews.
It's not bad, per-sey, but it's just not interesting. Elena roger gives a subtle performance as Fosca, David Thaxton (not quite pretty, and not quite good enough) is ok, but then stoops to Musical Theatre gestures towards the end which ruins it a bit. The unexpected star is Scarlett Strallen. I surprised even myself there!
The biggest fault in this production is the musical direction. It's so restrained i could almost hear the algorithms that it was conducted by. It's as if all trace of love or passion or emotion has been eradicated from every nuance of the score. The singers don't get to sing and the band no space to breathe. Melodrama isn't a bad thing if it is controlled, but this clinical interpretation was almost as if emotion was a dirty word for both MD and director.
I repeat. the shows called PASSION.... lets take that as the starting point next time shall we boys!
Oh. And PLEASE use the lady understudy insetad of the burly bears in the Fosca's history sequence. I went with it, but it's just stupid and adds nothing to the production. - Cassox
21 Nov 10
Saw this again at the matinee yesterday and, if possible, it was even better, just can't understand why people do not get this show! All of the performances have developed and the eye patch David Birrell now has to use to protect his damaged eye looks so right, congrats to him for being such a trooper and making sure the show carried on. Great, Great, Great. - KJ
04 Nov 10
Elena Roger perfomance is very poor. - John
01 Nov 10
Second attempt at posting so clearly rds is not the only one suffering site problems. Anyway:
By the time I reached the cobbles of Earlham Street I couldn't recall a single melody from Passion, althogh that is not unusual for a Sondheim musical. However, this show will be memorable thanks to an intense and, yes, passionate production from Jamie Lloyd. Elena Roger is a haunting, spectral Fosca but it's a shame she doesn't have a stand-out song to really showcase her talent. There is also attractive support from David Thaxton and Scarlet Strallen (Auntie Bonnie was watching, looking very fetching with black hair). Passion has been described as a Marmite musical which people either love or hate. Well, I love Marmite and for me Passion is one of the better Sondheim shows.
- David Baxter
28 Oct 10
The first one star here, attributed to me, is not for this show....WOS must sort out the problems they obviously have with their website. As for Passion it was rather less than the sum of its passionate parts. The staging and lighting are stunning, Christopher Oram just gets better and better. However, the show does not live up to expectations. I kept hearing refrains from Into The Woods and Follies....was this show cobbled together from Mr S's leftovers? I wanted it so much to work, but it never raised itself above the mediocre. Someone here refers to paint Never Dries and I, too, felt there was something of that show's naffness about it. Elena Roger tried her hardest, I am sure, but as with Evita and Piaf she is really up to the job. The rest of the cast were as competent as they could be with one of the great man's less than rewarding shows. A huge amount of effort, and not without injury, but for what? This show marks the point when Mr S lost his touch.
- rds
16 Oct 10
Just returned from seeing this production which was quite magnificient.
The first thing to say is that it is staged to perfection - the lighting, the scenery and the choreography of the scenes are stunning. The Donmar lends itself perfectly, its intimacy creating a chamber piece environment within which this dark piece comes alive.
The characters are cast brilliantly, the beautiful Clara, brought to life exzuisitely by Scarlett Strallen in love with the gorgeous Giorgio played by David Thaxton who exudes a beauty and charm that any woman (and many men) would fall for. Then there's frail, ugly Fosca. In Elena Roger she is cast to perfection, her slight frame seems so brittle, it will break at any point. As she toys with Giorgio and gradually wins his love, her beauty shines through.
There is a fine supporting ensemble and of course a quite wonderful score which tugs at the heart strings. I'm glad its played without an interval (I think as originally conceived) though not as played in the original London run. It flows much better with the momentum retained.
Sondheim and the Donmar seem perfect companions and this production is another huge success. I only wish the run wasn't sold out and I could see it again. - Paul Wallis
14 Oct 10
This is a very dreary, one tune score, one idea book. I thought the other guy wrote about paint drying. The cast, including the wonderful Ms Roger, is far too good for it and her anguished off stage bellowing at the start made me wonder if she was reading reviews or simply bemoaning the yak's hair wigs.AVOID! - coral
01 Oct 10
I saw this last night and thought it was a beautiful piece of theatre. I loved the way the music flowed and didn't keep stopping for songs or big production numbers. The design is brilliant as is the staging (especially the dances to move furniture around).
On top of all that, you have an excellent cast led by 3 beautiful and talented performers. David Thaxton is a perfect Georgio (much better than Michael Ball was). His singing is so powerful and he has a massive stage presence. It's easy to see why either of the girls would fall for his charms and good looks. Elena Roger's voice sounds great. Although I would have liked to see an attempt to make her ugly (the script says she is, but you look at her and she is beautiful). She is so small and fragile though, that it doesn't really matter.
I'm glad they've removed that extra song and the interval that was added when it opened at the Queen's Theatre all those years ago. I would certainly love to go again. - Steve
30 Sep 10
I'm afraid I find this so much less theatrically interesting than Sondheim's other show's - a dreary naturalism pervades, and all too often the action stops while the ensemble try to cover their table-shifting with a choral reprise of the soloists' music.
The whole thing feels much more Anglo-Saxon than Italian (I liked the Broadway revival of 'Nine''s choice to use Italian accents) - and the character of Clara seems a particularly dreary creation, all golden ringlets and no sexuality. And too often Giorgio has to sing too low (in his leading ladies' keys)... - JC
Re-opened in 1992. Seats 254. 1999 - Ambassador Theatre Group takes over from the Associated Capital Theatres as the landlord of the Donmar Warehouse. 2002 - Michael Grandage succeeds Sam Mendes as Artistic Director of the Donmar. Nick Frankfort succeeds Caro Newling as Executive Producer.
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