SOME people think Jerry Springer is the host of an infamous freak-show which exploits inarticulate human misery for the entertainment of the middle classes. This, of course, is half the fun. But until you’ve been in the grungier parts of the United States it’s hard to realise that this high priest of self-expression is perhaps also the greatest satirist on television, holding a mirror of disgust to the place where the American soul used to be.
Richard Thomas has set himself the task of operatising the peculiar human dramas of Springer, and captures the desperate mimicry of lives that are meaningless until televised in music which parodies everything from Bach chorales to ragtime and gospel. This is not a show to take granny to: it relies heavily upon the unarguable notion that swear-words set to sophisticated music are irreducible funny.
Jerry Springer: the Opera is exactly what it says on the tin, a succession of human exhibits whose big moment has come to tell their slack-jawed loved ones and gawping millions stuff that would be far too mortifying to say in private. Maybe we’ve seen it all before: a man discovers his girlfriend is a pre-op transvestite, while he is revealed as a gay thanatomaniac? Old hat….. but as in the real Jerry, these stories develop their own momentum, the stage gradually fills with guests of increasingly intricate perversion and a battery of beloved catchphrases in response to the stage audience’s growing loathing: “Talk to the hand, the face ain’t listening…”. Short and varied enough to maintain a suitable level of hilarity, the show nods to more traditional operatic forms with rhapsodic asides as the characters reveal ever more about themselves: thus a wistful threnody to the many joys of coprophilia – you get the picture. Commercial breaks are supplied by the studio audience and are a hideously accurate pastiche of the pervasive white noise of American life: “Give it to Jesus, or alternatively die”; “No motivation? No worries, no trouble, Novocaine”, set to a jolly Tom Lehrer-like medley of tunes.
The six singers really sweat for their supper, each performing a number of characters with appropriate pathos and raucousness, in music which demands range as well as technique. Martin Lowe vamps indefatigably on the piano, Rick Bland is an uncannily lifelike Jerry and Andrew Brooke as the mythical bouncer Steve will have more to do when a fight director has been hired. The surprise ending of this semi-staged performance leaves room for more, and I don’t think we need worry unduly about Jerry: like all American superheroes, he is of course immortal.
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk