Two of the oldest forms of communication, letter writing and song cycles, are brought to the revitalised world of cabaret.
Technology has rendered letter writing obsolete, but in its prime the art allowed scribes to convey their deepest emotions in lengthy prose. Without the immediacy of e-mail – or even express post – pen pals needed to take their time, arguably facilitating a more profound discussion.
‘The Juliet Letters’, originally an album by Elvis Costello and the Brodsky String Quartet, was released in 1993, before anyone had heard of Gmail. It was a concept album, where each song’s lyrics was framed as being a letter from a character to a common recipient: Juliet Capulet, of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ fame. A live performance, as with a letter, must consider who the recipient will be. With the Zephyr Quartet’s theatrical staging of ‘The Juliet Letters’, the recipients were likely to predominately fall into two categories: Elvis Costello fans and curious cabaret festival explorers. The individual reaction to the show will vary depending upon which camp that audience member falls into.
Fans of the bespectacled Elvis Costello have had 23 years to pore over the complex and wildly divergent themes contained within ‘The Juliet Letters’; there is social commentary, a critique of consumerism and lament over existential despair. The four vocalists, Michaela Burger, Cameron Goodall, Jude Henshall and Jamie Jewell, make use of props, costumes and other visual aids to add depth and interpretation to each song, providing long term fans of the work a greater insight into Costello’s vision. All of this is done to the exquisite refrains of the accomplished Zephyr Quartet. This fresh look at a two-decade old work elicited standing ovations and hooting from a segment of the audience. For those that came to the Space Theatre with a clean slate, though, Costello’s work could be challenging to comprehend.
‘The Juliet Letters’ was written as a collection of songs on a theme, not as an opera or a musical. As such, there is no obviously apparent narrative. Each song, though, contained a story, and the four principle performers were tasked with delivering that story armed mainly with their voices and their bodies. Acclaimed songstress Michaela Burger was the most adept at conveying every nuance of each missive; her voice soared, every syllable was enunciated clearly and every facial and bodily gesture provided insight into the character’s soul. While each of the other performers produced pleasing vocal tones, the content of the lyrics was sometimes lost or simply not enunciated as clearly as by the dynamic Burger. For those that know Costello’s odes by rote, this would not have been a problem, while the uninitiated could be left scratching their heads at times. All this is easily fixed: go on Spotify, play ‘The Juliet Letters’ on repeat for a while and then go see the show.
The show was daring and provocative, but also an acquired taste that delivered delight for some and confusion for others.
★★★☆☆1/2.
