Last Updated on October 12, 2025
An innovative ‘Figaro’ revival
The Marriage of Figaro - ENO - Review
ENO’s first revival of Joe Hill-Gibbins' covid-curtailed production of The Marriage of Figaro at the London Coliseum
Event Type: Event
Event Attendance Mode: OfflineEventAttendanceMode
Event Status: EventScheduled
Performer: Organization
Performer Name: English National Opera
Start Date: 2025-02-05 09:29
End Date: 2025-02-22 09:29
Availability: InStock
Availability Starts: 2025-02-05T09:29:06
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A white corridor punctuated by four white doors. It may not sound like much, but German set designer Johannes Schütz knows what he’s doing. As the buzzing violins of Mozart’s iconic overture for The Marriage of Figaro begin, doors pop open to reveal a scurrying, swivelling, marching cast in white heels, disco blazers and red stockings. Everyone’s excited: it’s the opening night of the ENO’s first revival of Joe Hill-Gibbins’ production of The Marriage of Figaro – a show that ran only once before its forced end at the onset of the pandemic.
Under Hill-Gibbins’ direction, the set becomes one massive multi-purpose prop. Doors are used to disguise, deceive and punctuate musical blasts from the orchestra pit; they’re a fabulously creative way to visualise the relational mayhem of Beaumarchais’ twisting comic plot.
There is also an abundance of intriguing choreography, with arms star-fished against white walls and hands creeping up legs and over shoulders in writhing multi-person flesh sculptures. The effects are various: often, it’s funny, sometimes, it disturbs. A highlight is Cherubino’s ‘Voi che sapete’, beginning with mezzo-soprano Hanna Hipps bumping and grinding the air to flutes and violins.
Hipps as the rogueish – and frankly quite dodgy – Cherubino manages to pull off the difficult feat of being loveably horny, humping on any limb that moves, and offering yearning, well-sung arias to anyone who will listen. Her jaunty wave before the infamous window stunt is perfectly in character, and the costuming of her brat green uniform enhances the glorious camp of Cherubino.
It is British soprano Nardus Williams as the Countess Almaviva however who emerges as the star of this production of The Marriage of Figaro; wrapped in silk, Williams’ clear and exquisitely controlled soprano delivers the emotional depth required for her heartsick arias. Though funny – her scene with the Count is fantastically acted – she is never ridiculous and maintains the necessary dignity for her beautifully staged ‘Dove Sono’ aria in which chorus members melt in and out like her mind’s romantic fantasies. The Count Almaviva (Cody Quattlebaum) is at his best when grumpy or grovelling, and David Ireland’s comic timing and physicality as Figaro was often spot-on (I particularly enjoyed his squat falling-from-window imitation and self-satisfied head wiggles). At times though Ireland delivered just a beat too soon, losing laughs on lines which might have been funnier.
Mary Bevan as Susanna had stronger chemistry with everyone but her Figaro; her indignant harmonies with the Countess were a pleasure, as was her spat with Marcellina (a charismatic Rebecca Evans), a fabulously catty exchange of ever deeper curtsies and deferential arm-swings. In her opening scene with Figaro by contrast I didn’t immediately buy into their comic romance; their lines felt stilted and unnatural – not helped by being staged at opposite ends of the stage – rather than organic chitter-chatter. They soon warmed up into their characters, however.
Once thawed, the first half is pretty funny, featuring some inspired set manipulation and delicious harmonies – particularly between Susanna, the Countess and the Count. In the second half of this production of The Marriage of Figaro, the set falls apart – literally – as the central white corridor is lifted and the stage is just a little too bare without the swinging doors. The cast is characterful, but they’re not strong enough to stand against a plain, lightly pockmarked stage for a whole second half, and the action becomes unanchored from the physical space, leaving characters floating.
However, the strong cast ensures that relationships mostly shine against the stripped-back staging of Joe Hill-Gibbins’ production, and Jenny Ogilvie’s movement design balances humour with a post #MeToo awareness. It’s the ingenious set design and stand-out performances of Hanna Hipp and Nardus Williams however that really make this production worth seeing.
The Marriage of Figaro
English National Opera
London Coliseum
St Martin’s Lane
London
WC2N 4ES
7 February – 22 February 2025
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