British comedian and actor Chris Addison is to star in The Royal Opera’s new production of the fabulously frothy French opera L’Étoile.
His comic acting role, Smith, has been newly created by director Mariame Clément to provide a stereotypically-English commentary on the opera’s absurdist events.
The double Perrier Award-nominated stand-up has been cast as Smith in Mariame Clément's production, an acting part the director created to provide a stereotypically-English commentary on the opera’s absurd events.
Audiences may know Addison as Ollie Reeder in the BBC's dark, political satire The Thick of It, and as Toby Wright in the subsequent feature In the Loop. Addison also regularly appears on panel shows such as Mock the Week, Have I Got News for You, 8 Out of 10 Cats and QI.
His other acting credits include performances in Doctor Who, the comedy series Trying Again and as headmaster David Blood in Skins.
Addison will be joined by the French actor Jean Luc Vincent on stage. Vincent has been cast as Dupont, a second acting role created by Clément to commentate on the action from a French perspective.
L’Étoile is an anarchically comic fairytale with a ridiculous plot and darkly humorous twists and turns. Mark Elder will conduct the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House during L'Etoile's run this Season – the first time the opera has been performed at Covent Garden.
Chris commented: "I am stupidly excited to be appearing at Covent Garden in L'Étoile, a production which combines two of my great loves: insanely beautiful opera and deep, joyful silliness. I had assumed that Mariame Clément and Sir Mark Elder had cast me on the basis of my "certainly unique and borderline terrifying" (The Wiltshire Times) interpretation of The Queen of The Night at the 2003 Chippenham's Got Talent quarter-final, but both claim not to be aware of it. Whatever, it's a pleasure and a privilege to be getting to share a stage with such a talented cast. Not least as I now don't have to buy a ticket."
1, 3, 6, 15, 18, 24 February at 7.30pm and 20 February at 7pm
Tickets £6 - £110
www.roh.org.uk/letoile
