The challenge of bringing the operatic genre to new audiences isn’t a new one. Opera is still seen as something the rich and powerful of old would peek down at with hired binoculars in grand theatres, connecting to the drama from comfy seats and comfy wallets.

The Italian Opera Locos team have boldly taken on this challenge with a show that boasts all the opera classics, with some surprising twists along the way.

There’s a story to tie all these classics together, thankfully. The cast of five make up a troupe of incredible opera singers, from the the old Tenor with a drinking problem, lusted after by a timid Soprano. To the new kid on the opera block who can hit the high notes if he’s only allowed and who loves his teacher who is a stickler for best practice and a lover of breasts, apparently. Then there’s the sexy Alto who teases a choice few in the audience, taking advantage of the humour her songs allow.

For new audiences, the show could feel old fashioned. The gobbledegook and mime between the singing, the fat suit, the love lost over an addiction problem and the suicidal lols, to name a few.

The standards are high in most places – the voices are incredible, the physical performances are perfectly playful, the set is charmingly low key and the sing-a-long is wonderfully executed. These are expert entertainers. The sound system at the Peacock Theatre, on the other hand, seemed to waver when high and lows were close together; not ideal. Here’s hoping their upcoming tour venues can cope with the talent here!

The team behind Opera Locos clearly LOVE their genre and want to bring it to new fans though it feels like this show is more angled toward the people who are not only already big fans, but so much so that they’re in on the opera-related jokes. The pauses before the pay-off and the thrill that comes from their favourites being sang so beautifully. It is certainly fun, though the push to be “new, fresh and original” isn’t quite realised here.

Check out the upcoming tour here – and get tickets if operatic almost-adult pantomime is your bag!