New adaptation and production for Pleasure Dome Theatre and Somerset Opera, September 2025

“it’s right up there with the most adorable things I’ve seen at the opera — funny, sweet, touching and altogether a tonic for the jaded soul… Edwina Strobl, the genial young director behind this little outrage, had fixed on a village cricket match as the locus for matters of great moment concerning the leadership of the parish council…Ms Strobl, deploys lavish amounts of the visual and character comedy… a remarkable achievement, beautifully judged” Robert Thicknesse, The Critic.

“smart, fun and extremely funny! Re-written (there are some hilarious lines..) and trimmed of much recitative, the opera bowls along merrily telling a great story with tongue firmly in cheek....If you have never seen opera before, then this is about as accessible as it gets – it is neither grand nor pretentious, it is the funniest opera I can remember seeing and the music is glorious – what’s not to like? Director Edwina Strobl must have questioned whether the wacky nature of the production would work, but her imagination and faith in the concept have resulted in a triumph.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ TheatrePlays

Cesare – Helena Payne
Cleopatra – Helen Bailey & Josephine Cresswell
Tolomeo - Dominic Mattos
Sesto - Isobel Hughes
Cornelia - Salome Siu
Nireno - Stephanie Berner
Pompeo – Dennis Carter
Community Chorus – Eleanor Coton, June Stevenson, Hilary Marshall, Sue Richards, Stephen Grimshaw, Mia Morgan, Lona Jones

Adaptation and translation - Helena Payne and Edwina Strobl
Director – Edwina Strobl
Musical Director – Noah Mosley
Costume Design – Charlotte Ellen

Photos by Ed Felton