Stuart King

These days, Giovanni Paisiello’s name will only be known to the most ardent of Opera buffa/Commedia dell’Arte aficionados. However, during his lifetime he was celebrated as one of the greatest living composers, enjoying considerable royal patronage, fame and renown. Eclipsed by the likes of Rossini and Mozart his work is rarely performed today, but the music for his opera The Imaginary Astrologer has been used by James P Farwell in creating THE FABULIST.

The cast of The Fabulist at Charing Cross Theatre. Photo by Mark Senior.

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Despite Germany having surrendered in Europe, the war remains ongoing in the Pacific where the Americans continue to meet resistance from the Japanese. With such a global backdrop, the quiet and dilapidated English country setting of FARM HALL becomes home for 6 forcibly interred German physicists, who spend their days acting-out Noel Coward plays (albeit stiltedly), playing chess, quizzing from newspapers and writing heavily self-censored letters home.

Julius D'Silva, Archie Backhouse, Forbes Masson, Alan Cox, Daniel Boyd, David Yelland in Farm Hall - Photo credit Alex Brenner

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