La Bohème

Image Source: North West End

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Opera
Genre: Drama
Date: March 24 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

La Bohème is one of the more well-known opera shows to have toured the UK theatre circuit. Its latest version has just hit the Liverpool Empire with considerable acclaim and hype, and the production as a whole lived up to expectations.

Directed by Ellen Kent, and based in Paris, France circa 1830, La Bohème tells the story of Rodolfo (Giorgio Meladze), who along with a number of friends has fallen behind on rent payments, but through fine wine and charming of the landlord, they amusingly throw him out of their room. In the meantime, Rodolfo - a writer - is visited by a young lady from another room in the building named Mimi (Alyona Kistenyova), who wishes for assistance as her candlelight has blown out. Through this, Rodolfo helping Mimi after she suddenly faints and their instant attraction and subsequent chitchat, the two almost immediately fall in love and their relationship blossoms, as do other growing romances within Rodolfo's inner circle of friends. However, Mimi begins to fall ill, to what we later learn is tuberculosis, but Rodolfo, unable to assist her due to poverty, hopes that she falls in love with somebody else who can help her. They agree to separate, but then decide to stay together a little longer because their romance is too strong to break so easily. Unfortunately, Mimi's illness worsens, and the story then centres around whether Mimi can survive, and how this can - or will - affect Rodolfo. (This, by the way, was the inspiration for Rent, which took an alternative and modern approach to the tale; you can read my review of Rent by clicking here.)

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