Developed by Uma Dobia and Bronny Lane, Popera, presented by Little Train Creative, is a saucy and wickedly smart gameshow tackling the best and worst of opera.
This is Lane’s debut as writer, director, producer and song writer for cabaret after cutting her chops on the indie filmmaking scene.
Dobia is a vision clad in tight red lycra, demonstrating unparalleled talent and charm. In other words, a self-assured woman. One that a mediocre man is preparing to take down.
F***boy Trevor the Assistant (Lloyd Lohse) immediately strikes, dumping Dobia over live video at the start of the show, and so begins a clever interplay between her heartbreak and her resilience.
As educational as they are witty, the gameshow questions test the audience’s pop and opera knowledge, while simultaneously drawing attention to opera’s cruel treatment of its female characters. Despite this, Dobia’s love for the art form is clear and, rather than renounce opera in its entirety, she shows us a way forward.
Original songs written by Dobia and Lane feature throughout the show, including ‘Popera Mash-Up’ and ‘Sex, Death and Politics’ with repeated motifs that had front row audience members singing and dancing along on opening night.
A more subdued ballad, ‘Opera Did the Girls Dirty’ is a touching reflection on the entrenched sexism in the industry.
Local pianist Lucy O’Brien supports admirably on keys and is occasionally dragged on stage as Dobia’s assistant in Trevor’s absence. The dynamic between O’Brien and Dobia is charming, with O’Brien as the frequent loser in Dobia’s erratic and nonsensical gameshow point system.
Despite the compact stage at The Butterfly Club, Dobia makes the space work for her. A small screen upstage guides the crowd through the clever questions and forces the audience to watch Trevor’s persistent video messages, vying in vain for Dobia’s attention and forgiveness. Dobia pulls from a never-emptied prop box throughout the show and roams the crowd hunting gameshow participants.
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Popera is polished without being unapproachable, allowing the audience to participate with wild abandon and answer Dobia’s (impressive and glass shattering) war cry for opera to Do Better.
Popera: Sex, Death & Politics by Bronny Lane and Uma Dobia
The Butterfly Club
Presented by Little Train Creative Productions
Director: Bronny Lane
Producers: Bronny Lane, Uma Dobia for Little Train Creative Productions
Set Design: Bronny Lane
Lighting Design: Bronny Lane and Jarman Oakley
Videography: Soledad Hassett and Simon Reich
Props: Bronny Lane
Wardrobe: Bronny Lane, Uma Dobia
Strings and Sound Effects: Simon Reich
Cast: Uma Dobia, Lucy O’Brien, Lloyd Lohse, Ben Sorensen
Popera: Sex, Death & Politics was performed at The Butterfly Club from 10-13 July. It will tour to Camden Fringe Festival in London in August 2024, and also Hollywood Fringe Festival in Los Angeles.
