Playbill UniverseWhat Did Critics Think of The Light in the Piazza in London, Starring Renée Fleming and Dove Cameron?The production runs through July 5 before the two reprise their performances in Los Angeles.
By
Ryan McPhee
June 19, 2019
Dove Cameron and Renée Fleming
Dewynters London
The new London production of The Light in the Piazza officially opened at Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall June 18. Tony-nominated and Grammy-winning opera star Renée Fleming stars as Margaret Johnson, with Disney channel favorite Dove Cameron as her daughter Clara.
The staging, directed by Daniel Evans, is scheduled to run through July 5. Fleming will reprise her performance for L.A. Opera and Chicago’s Lyric Opera later this year; Cameron is confirmed to join her for the former.
The cast also includes Olivier winner Alex Jennings as Signor Naccarelli, Rob Houchen as Fabrizio, Marie McLaughlin as Signora Naccarelli, Liam Tamne as Guiseppe, and Celinde Schoenmaker as Franca. Rounding out the ensemble are Simbi Akande, Danny Becker, Jordan Castle, Nicholas Duncan, Chlöe Hart, Molly Lynch, Rhona McGregor, Tom Partridge, Monica Swayne, and Matthew Woodyatt.
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Production Photos: The Light in the Piazza in London
Production Photos: The Light in the Piazza in London
Based on Elizabeth Spencer's 1960 novel (which was adapted for the screen in 1962), the Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas musical tells the story of Margaret and Clara Johnson, a mother and daughter who, while vacationing in Florence, encounter a young Italian man—Fabrizio. As he and Clara quickly fall in love, Margaret must reconcile her daughter's pursuit of happiness with a family secret that could threaten their romance.
The play comes on the heels of a broader cultural conversation about Dahl's work and the prejudice that was embedded in many of his most beloved stories.
