Admin

Singer

Baritone

Alistair Shelton-Smith

Newton Harrison

Conductor

David Edwards

Stage director

Nelly Lambert

Set designer

Soprano

Donna Lennard

The Catfish

Bass

Mark Beesley

Lord Goodman

Tenor

Christopher Diffey

Spike Milligan

Mezzo-soprano

Joanna Gamble

Ronald Reagan

violin

Eloisa Fleur Thom

cello

Max Ruisi

Repetiteur

Susan Holmes

The Music Troupe

English

The Catfish Conundrum

London

United Kingdom

Kings Place

Hall 2

The Catfish Conundrum Lambert

Public

Approved

The Catfish sings voluptuously of her wonderful existence at the bottom of a river. Suddenly, Harrison catches her and transports her across the ocean to a tank in the gallery. Reading the paper, Goodman learns about the exhibition and rushes over to the gallery to find out what is going on. There he encounters Milligan, angry that catfish are to be electrocuted and devoured at a feast: “Is this humane?”. Harrison explains that art is defined by the artist and cannot understand why there should be any fuss. The Catfish sings a plaintive prayer – “Sanctus” – while the argument between the others grows more heated. Milligan mocks the death sentence – “Catfish on death row” – then launches into a brief aria about frying fish: “If the Arts Council fries fish tonight”. Taking no notice, Harrison prepares the death chamber and his filleting knives – “Moments when reality” – then sings of the importance of his work in a fugue which is mocked by the others: “My work begins”.The proceedings are halted while meetings are held; the feast is postponed. Goodman is less worried about animal rights than the degradation of art: “Are we doing the right thing?”. Finally, the feast is given the go-­‐ahead, provided that the slaughter is not shown to the public. As she sings the Lord’s prayer, the Catfish is led to her execution and filleted. President Reagan, in so far as he is capable of coherent speech, declares 25 June 1987: National Catfish Day.

The Catfish Conundrum by Lambert, From (2014/2014), Directed by Nelly Lambert,, Conductor David Edwards, Kings Place, London, United Kingdom

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