REVIEW: RED – Scottish Opera Production Studios, Glasgow
Girl, maiden, mother, crone.
Women have been depressingly defined as such throughout the ages. Moving between magical realism and reality, and taking Grimm’s fairy tales, principally Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Snow White and Hansel & Gretel as their inspiration. Jane Davidson and Karen MacIver’s RED aims to “bring a new lens to recognisable characters and themes.” With Director Flora Emily Thomson, designer Finlay McLay and conductor Chris Gray, they make “the patriarchal scaffolding and moving goalposts that Red (and women in general) have to negotiate, visible and tangible.”
The 75 minute opera comprises four acts. The first rewrites Red Riding Hood, Red is now an orphan who seeking a kindred spirit, finds a fox in the woods. She then imagines she is a loved granddaughter travelling through the woods to see granny. The big bad wolf is, of course, on her tail. The second sees a young, pregnant woman trapped in a high rise block that is being consumed by fire. Her fire-fighter rescuer the estranged father of her unborn baby. In the third act Red is now the CEO of the world’s biggest cosmetic company, but she’s ageing and her teenage eco-campaigning daughter has exposed some less than ethical practises. Just how far is Red willing to go to ensure the survival of her empire? The final act sees an aged Red after years wandering the world seeking redemption for her past actions.
The collected tales of the Brothers Grimm are rich fodder and RED shows that this material can be made relevant and relatable a century and a half later. The work has been created for the about to be defunct, Scottish Opera Young Company, and it tackles difficult and controversial subject matter without patronising or sanitising it for the young singers.
There is more than a whiff of Stephen Sondheim here and there are obvious parallels in source material between Red and Into the Woods, but the similarities go further, as musically it is extremely reminiscent of the master’s works. That said, it is exceptionally enjoyable, and a real treat for the ears.
The Young Company Ensemble are glorious in chorus and fill the space beautifully and harmoniously. The principals show much potential but it is El Rose as the Mysterious Woman and Ilona Sofia Nastase in a variety of roles who shine brightest, out-singing and acting their peers.
Red is the perfect work to showcase the talents of these opera stars of the future and a real winner of an opera in itself. Hopefully it won’t be long before we are treated to more works by Davidson and MacIver.
