Amadeus: NT Live at Home Review

Credit: https://www.instagram.com/nationaltheatre/

This does feel like the end of a mini-era... Ever since the start of lockdown, the National Theatre has been releasing a play from their NT Live archives every Thursday on their YouTube for a week at a time - and this was the last one. We may have started on the Brighton line in One Man Two Guvnors, but ended in the palaces and music halls of Vienna with the 2016-17 production of Peter Shaffer's Amadeus, played at the National's Olivier theatre. 

This is kind of a full circle moment in a way for the play, as it had its world premiere at the National in 1979 before transferring to Her Majesty's Theatre (home to Phantom of the Opera since 1986). It then went across the pond where it won the 1981 Tony Award for Best Play. 

It has attracted some huge names over the years, including the likes of Simon Callow (the original Mozart), Tim Curry, Ian McKellen, Michael Sheen, Neil Patrick Harris AND Mark Hamill!! 

Well there must be SOMETHING about this play right?

This was my first experience with Amadeus; I hadn't seen the film version so was going into in it completely blind. 

As many of you may know, Amadeus is based on the rumoured rivalry between young prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Vienna's court composer Antonio Salieri - to the point where Salieri poisoned him...? 

Credit: https://www.instagram.com/nationaltheatre/

I will admit, that the very beginning was promising but it went into exposition monologing as Salieri (played brilliantly by Lucian Msmati) starts his last confession munching on Krispy Kremes that does drag on a bit. 

It then takes us back to 1780s Vienna, where a few more minor characters are introduced; but it's not until Adam Gillen's Mozart comes in until the play really kicks off. 

And it's not hard to get behind Salieri in the beginning; because Shaffer has written Mozart to be the definition on an arrogant whiny prick!

In fact, when suggested he should write about a more elevated subject rather than the frivolous Marriage of Figaro, Mozart says:

"The only thing man should elevate is his doodle"

.... yeah. Moving right along.

One thing I haven't yet mentioned is that this production was a partnership between the National Theatre and the Southbank Sinfonia, which act as the onstage orchestra. This is a piece about opera and classical music after all so of course there are going to be orchestral players and opera singers involved. 

Credit: https://www.instagram.com/nationaltheatre/

But act as a stationary orchestra they do not. While they can for certain parts of the performance, for others they travel round the stage almost as if they were actor-musicians in a piece from the Watermill such as Amelie. The classic example is as shown right, from a scene happening on New Years Eve - the score of which completely changed from classical to a more folky style. The sound of that scene was similar to the musical Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 (if you're familiar with it). 

It's the Sinfonia who bring the strongest element of the piece for me; when you were able to sit back and take in this incredible music. The New Years Eve being one great example, a montage of Mozart's work being another, from The Marriage of Figaro to the Queen of the Night aria from The Magic Flute to Mozart's Requiem at the end.

As well as the NYE segement, my other favorite moment involving the music however was the chorus of Kyrie Eleison (or Lord Have Mercy) at the end of the first act, while Salieri's struggle between him and God comes to a head - has this rivalry between him and Mozart all planned?

If you are a classical music buff and think this may be for you, you can give it a try. It's only available though until tonight so you'll need to be VERY quick. If you're seeing this anytime after though, then the film version (according to my parents) should do. 

Credit: https://www.instagram.com/nationaltheatre/

Like I said, this is the end of the NT Live at Home scheme; I have loved most (I did sadly miss a couple) weeks sitting down and enjoying a brand new play like Small Island. Or one I had seen before and loved revisiting like A Midsummer Night's Dream. 

You can click here to read all the National Theatre Live performances I have reviewed so far, both at home and in the cinema pre-Ms Rona. 

But there were a couple which I saw but didn't end up reviewing, so I would like to make a quick shout out to the very fun Treasure Island, and the powerful Les Blancs. 

Would Amadeus have been the one to end it on in my opinion? To be honest probably not. Please don't take this into meaning I thought it was bad, because I don't, I actually really enjoyed it. 

But as the scheme started off with such a bang with One Man Two Guvnors, I think there needed to be another bang to end it on and Amadeus wasn't that. 

My dad suggested War Horse - that would have been perfect!