In this week’s episode, Darren is joined by Joseph O’Curneen - founding member of internationally acclaimed Spanish theatre company Yllana - to talk about the glorious chaos that is The Opera Locos.
Returning to London following standing ovations, The Opera Locos takes over Sadlers Well’s Theatre for a strictly limited run. This vibrant comic opera experience blends world-class singing with outrageous physical comedy, fusing the grandeur of Mozart, Verdi and Puccini with pop anthems from Whitney Houston, Mika, U2 and more.
At the heart of the show are five eccentric opera singers - a faded tenor, a macho baritone, a pop-loving counter-tenor, a dreamy soprano and a fiery mezzo - whose rivalries, egos and hidden desires spiral into operatic mayhem. It’s opera… but not as you know it.
Joseph shares how Yllana, founded in 1991 as a comedy and physical theatre company, has grown into a global powerhouse - producing 41 shows, performing over 16,000 times across 48 countries, and reaching almost six million audience members. We explore the art of non-verbal storytelling, the universal language of laughter, and why opera is the perfect playground for comic anarchy.
From Max Award-winning success in Spain to international touring and a triumphant London return, this is a joyful, insightful conversation about risk, reinvention and making classical music wildly accessible.
If you think opera isn’t for you - this might just change your mind.
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