Jerry Springer: The Opera (2005)

A TV presentation of the successful London stage show. A fully operatic production very loosely based on the 'Jerry Springer' TV show.

Director:

Peter Orton

Writers:

Richard Thomas (book), Stewart Lee (book)

Stars:

David Soul, David Bedella, Leon Craig

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Soul	...	Jerry Springer
David Bedella	...	Warm-up Man / Satan
Leon Craig	...	Montel / Jesus
Carrie Ellis	...	Peaches / Baby Jane
Alison Jiear	...	Shawntel / Eve
Christopher Key	...	Chucky / Adam
Benjamin Lake	...	Dwight / God
Ryan Molloy	...	Tremont / Angel Gabriel
Claire Platt	...	Zandra / Irene / Mary
Guy Porritt	...	Steve
Annabelle Williams	...	Andrea / Archangel Michael
Adriano Agostino	...	Ensemble
Richard Alliston	...	Ensemble
Edward Baruwa	...	Ensemble
Dale Branston	...	Ensemble

Storyline

'Jerry Springer-The Opera' tells the story of a day in the job of world famous talk-show host, Jerry Springer. Jerry has to sort out a number of guests problems; including a man who wants to dress up as a baby, a man with 3 lovers (one of them a transexual) and a fat woman who wants to be a pole dancer. However, on this particular day, something out of the ordinary will happen...

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Plot Keywords:

supernatural power | psychotronic film | devil | opera | reference to satan | 

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Taglines:

Jerry Springer is about to have the worst day of his career.

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Genres:

Musical | Comedy | Adventure | Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 January 2005 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Cambridge Theatre, Earlham Street, Covent Garden, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

GBP200,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Avalon Productions, Battersea Arts Centre, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The BBC received over 50,000 complaints about the screening of this show (most of them before it aired), making it the most complained about TV broadcast in British television history.

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Quotes

Zandra: [singing] I remember when we was young. / We had some laughs, we had some fun. / We lived on dreams, we was full of hope, / Until I got addicted to crack and dope, crack and dope.

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Connections

Referenced in Have I Got News for You: Episode #32.6 (2006)

User Reviews

Written by people wanting to make a fast buck by being 'outrageous'?

I watched it on BBC2 at the time and was so disgusted with it that I cancelled my television licence and never renewed it. It is vulgar and boring; it made me sick to my stomach. It was co-written by Stewart Lee, who once said, "One would like to think that comedy could incite religious hatred. That would be great." (The Independent on Sunday, 5th December 2004.)

I'm at a loss to explain how a degenerate load of sick rubbish like this has positive reviews. How the people have been dumbed down, dehumanised and brainwashed into accepting mockery as entertainment. God will not be mocked.

As another reviewer discovered, once the faux shock of the vulgarity wears off after 15 minutes, the 'opera' is exposed as being not worth watching, even, I suspect, if for Dawkins-worshipping 'atheists'.