King Arthur, Barbican, London, review: Thought-provoking relevance is sketchy

Daisy Evans' contemporary version of Purcell's semi-opera 'King Arthur' explores British identity through Brexit

Soprano Louise Alder and actor Ray Fearon in 'King Arthur' at the Barbican

What to do with Purcell’s semi-opera King Arthur first seen in 1691? It contains some of the composer’s loveliest music, exquisite airs and symphonies, “Fairest isle” and the famous “Freezing” aria, but with Dryden’s lengthy accompanying play takes some five hours to perform. Almost everyone now jettisons Dryden’s contribution because the musical interjections stand apart from the story. The problem then becomes how to concoct a plausible narrative from the remaining mishmash of interpolations.

Director Daisy Evans, who last year devised a playful reimagining of Purcell’s Fairy Queen with the Academy of Ancient Music around the conceit of staging a play, this time takes her cue from King Arthur ’s subtitle: “The British Worthy”, and uses it to explore British identity through the achingly topical prism of Brexit. Thus Purcell’s numbers are reordered around readings taken from, among others, Shelley, Blake, Shakespeare and Eliot, ably delivered by actor Ray Fearon, threaded through vignettes entitled things like “Leave and Remain”, “Idea and Reality", "Hope and Despair ", ending fatally with "The Barbican – today". Sterling work as ever from bass-baritone Ashley Riches, Charles Daniels’s pleasingly strong tenor, Reginald Mobley countertenor and Louise Alder’s delightful soprano, with Richard Egarr flourishing at the harpsichord.

It was enthusiastic, earnest, and shone lights in our faces to make sure we got that it was reflecting us, but thought-provoking relevance is rarely achieved by joining dots with a wax crayon.