An eccentric new folk horror opera has made its fully-staged debut in Leeds, blending ancient British folklore with contemporary theatrical innovation. Isabella Gellis's first full-length stage work, The Devil's Den, was presented at the Howard Assembly Room, courtesy of a collaboration between Shadwell Opera and the Sheffield City Morris.
A Modern Mystery Play with Ancient Roots
The hour-long production draws inspiration from the legends surrounding a real neolithic monument in Wiltshire. The narrative weaves a tale involving a devil desperate to topple the monument's capstone, a talking rabbit who interprets the devil's squeaks and grunts, and a mythical fire-breathing toad. The story centres on a good child whom the community wrongly judges as bad, leading to a compelling trial scene where the audience is actively enlisted to participate.
Directed by Jack Furness with a simple yet effective set featuring a circle of greensward and three large imitation rocks, the opera creates an immersive atmosphere. The production cleverly incorporates Sheffield City Morris dancers as a hanky-waving Greek chorus, their bells and sticks adding a distinctive folk layer to Gellis's composition. This integration of morris dancing into an opera is believed to be a first for the art form.
First-Rate Musicality and Performance
The musical score, conducted by Finnegan Downie Dear, is performed by a 15-strong instrumental ensemble who not only play but also hum, whistle, and warble. Gellis's music is noted for its agile, transparent, and often witty quality, with unseen characters communicating through solo instruments that mimic sounds from rumbles to squeaks.
The cast delivers powerhouse performances across the board. Lotte Betts-Dean is compelling as the ambiguous, squealing devil, while Nicholas Morris provides a vivid portrayal as her sinister rabbit sidekick. Ossian Huskinson booms with authority as the druid, and Jennifer France, as the child, delivers a standout performance, hitting even the highest notes with diamond-bright clarity.
A Promising Future for an Eccentric Delight
While some scenes feel slightly overlong—an understandable trait for a composer's first major stage work—The Devil's Den possesses the distinctive feel of a modern mystery play. A particularly touching moment occurs when the audience ceases its condemning chant, yet the child continues singing her own invented butterfly song in defiance.
This bundle of contradictions, from its folk horror aesthetic to its experimental structure, marks a unique addition to the UK's operatic landscape. It would be a genuine shame if this eccentric delight did not find future opportunities to appear on other stages, particularly in regions with their own rich traditions of morris dancing and local folklore.
