” . . . the opera concentrates on emotion . . . In last night’s performance the role of Butterfly was taken by Stephanie Corley, whose fine soprano voice and fluid movements were the perfect tools for articulating the character’s inner journey to suicidal despair. In one way we might consider the chamber sized orchestra to be better suited to the setting and intimate theme. In any case the orchestra under Jonathan Lyness was in perfect balance with venue, setting and cast. . . “

“. . . It is, in short, ‘life into art’ in the very best sense. That is to say, something quite new and uplifting and indeed universal comes out of a personal tragedy. To pull of such a feat needs more than serendipity of course and the cast of Edward Petherbridge and Paul Hunter are well matched by director and co-deviser, Kathryn Hunter whilst drawing freely on Shakespeare’s Lear and Petherbridge’s autobiography which both serve as the spine of the play. . .”