On stage from 27th-30th January, Peter Shepherd’s musical This World Lousy was a fascinating blend of two styles originally based on the same concept. The director, Maya Ghose, will also be taking part in the production of Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s Phantom of the Opera later this term.
While both operas and musicals use music and songs to convey emotions, this new creation explores the limits of these narrative systems. The main character, who remains anonymous just like the others throughout the two hour-long performance, is a fugitive mainly expressing his hopes and doubts according to the opera technique. Sung and acted out by Aaron King, he dialogues with the choir and a few other characters who spontaneously detach themselves from this generally hostile group, similar to a Greek chorus.
These exchanges oscillate between growing tension, reflected in the way the orchestra’s theme is gradually played at higher and higher notes, and moments of relief. A young orphan’s clear soprano voice stands out as being particularly cheerful, as the atmosphere switches to a suddenly more optimistic mood. Most singers have their own solo, and a set of easily memorised themes is developed through the musical to make this a varied yet coherent work. For instance, the trumpet’s tune can be noticed from the very beginning, but evolves to become associated with the sound of a police car, a worrying signal for a fugitive.
Overall, the storyline and definition of the characters appear to follow the structure of traditional tales, though the absence of names and the notion of doubt echo the music by plunging the audience into a world of ambiguity.
As is mostly the case for good musicals, the music conjures up clear images to accompany the drama on stage. More originally, music director Peter Shepherd choose to write the score of This World Lousy for a full symphonic orchestra, bringing in impressive power in the fight scenes to which unexpected instants of silence respond. The entire musical is in fact built around contrasts. A chaotic effect is produced when the tenor singer’s long, melodic phrases are opposed to the orchestra’s inten tionally dissonant staccato marked by the cello, a clear counterpoint to the audience’s expectations.
Peter Shepherd draws on modern music’s characteristics to create his own intriguing blend of thought-provoking performance and striking combinations. Opposing groups of actors and singers to individuals both visually and musically, This World Lousy moves from the darkness and drama of self-questioning to a positive comment on the potential of our world.
