Their version contains several heavy sideswipes at the Arts Council, and one does not need to check their website to work out that they don't get any funding from that body. If one does however visit the website you will see a quote by opera critic Rupert Christiansen displayed in which he says that operetta isn't funded because it appeals to middle class audiences. Ignoring for a moment the heavily subsidised Opera North's recent 'Merry Widow' I would also point to the fact that the group I was with on this occasion were pretty much all white, middle class and elderly, and far from loving the piece a large proportion of them hated it with a vengeance. I didn't think it was too bad myself - although the singing was nothing to, er, sing about - and the idea of David Cameron doomed to forever act as Pluto's butler for calling the EU referendum rather amused me. I also very much enjoyed the Galop Infernal being performed by skeletons; oh, and the dancing sheep were good.
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