James Inverne’s That Bastard, Puccini! arrives at Park Theatre with a tantalising premise: the infamous rivalry between Giacomo Puccini and Ruggero Leoncavallo, both racing to claim La Bohème as their own. Directed by Daniel Slater, this world premiere promises a heady mix of historical drama and theatrical comedy, but ultimately delivers a production that, while intriguing in concept, struggles to find its rhythm.
The play’s structure is ambitious, with just three actors (Sebastien Torkia, Alasdair Buchan, and Lisa-Anne Wood) juggling multiple roles, often switching characters mid-scene. This meta-theatrical device, where the performers openly debate who should play whom and critique each other’s portrayals, aims for cleverness but too often becomes a distraction. Rather than enhancing the storytelling, it pulls the audience out of the narrative, muddying the emotional stakes of what could have been a gripping artistic showdown.
Torkia, as Puccini, is the standout. He brings a roguish charm and comic timing that elevates even the script’s weaker moments. His performance anchors the piece, offering glimpses of the charisma and ego that made Puccini a towering figure in opera. Buchan’s Leoncavallo, though earnest, is less vividly drawn, and the rivalry between the two composers never quite crackles with the intensity the premise demands.
Lisa-Anne Wood, as Berthe and various other characters, impresses vocally, her operatic prowess undeniable, but the production would benefit from more musical interludes to fully capitalise on her talent. For a play so steeped in the world of opera, music feels oddly sparse.
The set, designed by Carly Brownbridge, is one of the production’s strengths. Musical notation etched into the floor offers a subtle nod to the thematic undercurrents, while the period costumes help ground the action in its 19th-century setting. However, the lighting design does little to elevate the mood or distinguish the play’s shifting tones.
Inverne’s script flirts with big ideas; artistic legacy, the commodification of genius, and the existential question of what defines true art, but never quite commits to exploring them in depth. The result is a play that feels stretched, its near-two-hour runtime padded with self-referential humour that rarely lands.
That Bastard, Puccini! is a curious blend of historical drama and theatrical experimentation. While it doesn’t fully succeed in marrying its clever conceit with compelling storytelling, there’s enough here (particularly in Torkia’s performance and the intriguing premise) to make it a worthwhile, if uneven, evening at the theatre.
