A joint review by Feature SA & Dancing with an Italian 87.6FM
A Friday night at the theatre in the heart of Adelaide, with spring rain pattering on the roof there was something especially cosy about settling in for an evening of live performance while the city carried on outside.
Inside, the welcome was warm. Raffles, tea and coffee, and bar facilities gave the evening a relaxed community feel before the curtain even rose. With the theatre almost full, it was a lovely setting for a night of shared laughter and culture.
Therry Theatre’s A Comedy of Tenors brought the chaos to match that sense of connection - a humorous tangle of Italian personalities, operatic egos and hotel-room confusion with a distinctly Fawlty Towers-style vibe.
Written by Ken Ludwig and directed by Kerrin White, the comedy is set in a Paris hotel in 1936. Concert producer Henry Saunders, played by Steve Kidd, is attempting to bring together a major performance. Keeping his singers on schedule proves challenging enough; keeping their romantic complications, jealousies and misunderstandings under control is another matter entirely.
At the centre of the confusion is Italian tenor Tito Merelli, played by Ben Todd, who also takes on the role of Beppo. Tito’s worries about getting older and being overtaken by a younger singer spill into his personal life, adding another layer to the mounting chaos.
Hayley McGill plays his wife Maria, with Amelia Baldock as their daughter Mimi and Parisya Mosel as tenor Carlo. Adam Schultz appears as Max, while Chanelle Le Roux plays Racon, completing the cast of characters caught up in the increasingly tangled proceedings.
The cast embraced the larger-than-life characters, bringing out the humour in the heated exchanges and mounting confusion. Their expressive reactions and interplay added to the fun, particularly as innocent remarks became fresh misunderstandings. It was the personalities as much as the predicament that made the comedy enjoyable.
The humour comes from people jumping to conclusions, overhearing just enough to get the wrong idea, and making a complicated situation even worse. The hotel setting and increasingly desperate attempts to regain control were what gave it that familiar Fawlty Towers feeling - with an operatic twist.
Despite its title and musical backdrop, this is primarily a comedy play. The world of opera provides the setting, while the relationships, colourful personalities and mistaken identities drive the story. For those wondering what to expect, think theatrical farce with musical touches.
For us, the combination of Italian flair, humour and a welcoming local theatre atmosphere made for an entertaining night out. There’s a particular pleasure in sharing a comedy with an almost-full house, and this evening was a reminder of the community spirit that makes local theatre worth supporting.
With laughter in the room and theatrical chaos on stage, A Comedy of Tenors gave us a spring evening of community and connection.
See the show
A Comedy of Tenors continues at the Arts Theatre, 53 Angas Street, Adelaide, until Saturday 7 November 2026, with matinee and evening performances remaining.
Visit the Arts Theatre production page for performance times and bookings.
Special thanks to Therry Theatre for inviting us to review.
Photography courtesy of A Comedy Of Tenors
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