Back at the post for another race is Gareth Williams and Anna Chatterton’s award-winning opera Rocking Horse Winner. Directed by Michael Hidetoshi Mori, with musical direction by Kamna Gupta, Rocking Horse Winner brings the short story by D.H. Lawrence to life. Talented vocalists, stunning design, and a mesmerizing score puts Rocking Horse Winner several lengths ahead in the race.

Rocking Horse Winner tells the story of a family who is down on their luck; they don’t have enough money to keep up their lavish lifestyles, and even the walls of their house are willing to remind them at all hours of the day and night. Paul, a sickly child who adores his mother Ava, discovers that he can predict the winners of horse races by riding his rocking horse. His Stewart, Bassett and uncle Oscar start pushing Paul to get them the names of these horses to make their fortunes. Rocking Horse Winner dives deep into ideas of luck: what it means to have it and what happens if it leaves. However, it also looks at capitalism’s hold over their lives and the lengths the adults are willing to go to keep up appearances; even if it means exploiting the talents of a child.

On stage throughout the performance is a string quartet along with a pianist to bring Garth Williams’ music to life. I adore having the music live, it really elevates the performance. Married with the incredible designs by Jawon Kang, Ming Wong, and Echo Zhou, Rocking Horse Winner is and audio/visual experience. The set is comprised of two levels (and the staircase of my dreams) with a sort of ethereal quality to all of it; it makes total sense that this house is haunted with money-hungry spirits. Also, I now desire to have an adult-sized rocking horse in my home; the one featured in this play is stunning, all kitted out like a proper racehorse. The music and visuals come together so perfectly, and I loved how the piano (and pianist) were centre stage, allowing them to be both part of the action and perform with the rest of the orchestra.

The vocalists of Rocking Horse Winner are fantastic, their talent shines through every moment of the performance. Asitha Tennekoon leads the cast as Paul, and they are able to pull on every heartstring imaginable. His voice feels as magic as the rocking horse he rides, and he brings such a sincerity and sweetness to his character, that you can’t help but adore him. Ava, his mother, is played by Lucia Cesaroni, who does a phenomenal job of playing the self-interested parent. Cesaroni’s voice soars above the music and I loved seeing the shifts in her character from being broke to suddenly having money again. Peter McGillvray is a paternal source of goodness as Bassett. He’s one of the few characters who actually loves Paul and who fully believes in him. McGillvray brings all of this to life with his beautiful voice and kind demeanour, making him instantly loveable like Paul. Keith Klassen rounds out the cast as Uncle Oscar, who has a sort of Daddy Warbucks feel to him which I really enjoyed. Klassen’s voice is stellar, and his roles as a sort-of villain of the piece is clearly bring revelled in. Alex Hetherington, Anika Venkatesh, Kirin Thomas-Smith, and Midori Marsh bring the house itself to life. Lurking in the basement for most of the production, and at times emerging looking like they came straight from a haunted house, these four incredible vocalists send shivers down your spines. Their voices truly complete the ambiance of the piece and give that extra dimension to many of the songs with the opera.

Rocking Horse Winner has a Triple Crown of excellent elements all coming together to create a unique and fascinating experience. It’s only on stage for a limited time, closing on November 12th, so you’ll want to grab your tickets and place your bets on Rocking Horse Winner. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.crowstheatre.com/whats-on/2023.24-subscription-season/rockinghorsewinner

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Cover photo of the Cast of Rocking Horse Winner by Dahlia Katz

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