Fascinating Historical Drama
Caught Between Two Genres
“’If he wins this, all is lost. More than this opera, all is lost”
Ruggiero Leoncavallo
Competition and its bedfellow jealousy can drive artists to immense greatness—or crushing despair. In the case of Puccini and Leoncavallo, such rivalry resulted in a very public spat, the destruction of a friendship, and near mania for one composer.
It’s 1893, and noted librettist Ruggiero Leoncavallo (Alasdair Buchan) is working on his second opera. Following the success of Pagliacci, he believes a new text he’s discovered—”Scenes of a Bohemian Life”—will provide the perfect narrative for a follow-up that will cement his reputation as a great composer.
When he shares news of his project with friend Giacomo Puccini (Sebastien Torkia), he’s aghast to hear the reply: “I too am working on an opera based on the same material—but mine is called La Bohème!” Convinced Puccini is lying to undermine him, Leoncavallo storms home decrying “That bastard, Puccini!”
Whether or not Puccini was actually working on La Bohème at that moment, he certainly started from then. Their friendship strained, they became locked in a race to deliver their opera first, believing the initial production would be considered the original and achieve greater success.
As self-inflicted pressure mounted to deliver not only good opera but quickly, their feud escalated into a highly public battle. Each leveraged the media to undermine their rival while enhancing their own position, fighting theatre by theatre, city by city, country by country.
Since we all reference Puccini when we say La Bohème, we know how the story ends—though it wasn’t a straightforward victory. Neither composer was unanimously praised, and each found their own niche in the European opera circuit.
Writer James Inverne takes us behind the scenes of this “Battle of the Bohèmes” through a mix of historical fact, conjecture, and invented conversations. While the premise is simple, the narrative approach is anything but. Inverne has crafted this as historical drama mixed with farce, presented as metatheatre with deliberately skewed timelines and self-aware performers.
When Puccini explains how the feud began to Leoncavallo’s wife Berthe (Lisa-Ann Wood), he produces a café table, telling Leoncavallo “you sit here and I’m sitting here…” It’s an interesting device that works intermittently. The first instance jolts you completely out of the building narrative. You adjust for a while, but it becomes increasingly silly as new characters arrive—Puccini’s wife, conductor Mahler, Leoncavallo’s agent—repeatedly pulling you away from the mounting tension.
The performances are uniformly wonderful, and Daniel Slater directs effectively, maintaining pace while balancing the story’s various tonal shifts. However, a nagging feeling persists that this would work far better staying in one lane—either historical drama or farcical feud.
That Bastard, Puccini! offers an entertaining few hours spotlighting a fascinating piece of operatic history, but ultimately leaves you craving Amadeus or Topsy Turvy—not both awkwardly stitched together. The story deserves either the gravitas of serious historical drama or the full commitment to theatrical farce, rather than this uncertain middle ground that dilutes both approaches.
Production Notes
That Bastard, Puccini!
Written by James Inverne
Directed by Daniel Slater
Cast
Starring:
Alasdair Buchan
Lisa-Anne Wood
Sebastien Torkia
Creatives
Director: Daniel Slater
Designer: Carly Brownbridge
Lighting Designer: Katy Morison
Sound Designer: Yvonne Gilbert
Musical Director: Tim Murray
Information
Running Time: Two hours including an interval
Booking to 9th August 2025
Theatre:
Park 200
London N4 3JP
Tube: Finsbury Park
Reviewed by Sonny Waheed
at the Park Theatre
on 15th July 2025