Springer makes a daring comeback

From the archive, first published Wednesday 25th Jan 2006.

PROVING that the best shows don't fade away but go on living controversial production Jerry Springer: The Opera marches defiantly into the Birmingham Hippodrome at the start of February.

The opera, a parody of the trashy talk show made famous in the late 1990s, is enjoying a new lease of life after almost going out of business at the end of 2005.

Springer was in danger of disappearing when the Arts Council of England refused to fund it, after losing nearly a third of it venues because of a well-publicised campaign by pressure group Christian Voice.

However, in a show of solidarity 21 theatres from around the country have banded together with the show's creators, Avalon, to save the multi-award winning opera.

Ever since the opera hit the West End in 2003 Springer has been at the eye of a hurricane of criticism and has been lambasted by Christian groups for being blasphemous. The opera's survival mimics Jerry Springer's own topsy turvy life, when he hit rock bottom as a disgraced politician in America to become television's top talk show host.

Springer is based on America's most lurid talk show and the US host who lifted the lid on the stranger side of life across the pond

Since coming to the stage Springer has been watched by 425,000 people and attracted 2.4 million viewers when it was televised on BBC 2 last year.

It also broke records by winning the best musical prize at The Olivier Awards, The Critics' Circle Theatre Awards, Evening Standard Theatre Awards and What's on Stage Awards. The show was written and directed by popular stand-up comedian Ian Lee.

He said: "Jerry Springer - The Opera was developed on public money in public spaces and belongs to the nation, whether the nation wants it or not. It would be nice if people outside the M25 could actually get to see it."

Like or loathe it like looks like Jerry Springer: The Opera is here to stay and if you like your theatre outrageously adult and dangerously close to offensive then call the Hippodrome's box office on 0870 730 1234.

The show runs between Monday, February 6 and 18 and is unsuitable for children.

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