Tag Archives: W.S. Gilbert

Book and Lyrics: W.S. Gilbert Composer: Arthur Sullivan Director: Sasha Regan Reviewer: Maryam Philpott Is there anything more British than Gilbert and Sullivan? At a time when our country is facing one of the biggest political divides of the modern era, it’s comforting to know that somewhere, deep down, we are still the same group of slightly eccentric buffoons that ...

Writer            W. S. Gilbert Composer     Arthur Sullivan Director        Cav. Vivian J. Coates Conductor    James Hendry Reviewer      Ron Simpson It’s always surprising that Ruddigore occupies a position of such modest popularity among Gilbert and Sullivan operas. Its faults are obvious – the disjointed narrative of Act 2, for instance, and the rather perfunctory ending – but ...

Writer           W.S. Gilbert Composer     Arthur Sullivan Director        Cav. Vivian Coates Conductor    James Hendry Reviewer      Ron Simpson The International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival is a remarkable event. Now housed in Harrogate after some 20 years in Buxton, this year it celebrated its Silver Jubilee. The festival runs to three or four performances a day for 20 days, ...

Writer: W.S. Gilbert Composer: Arthur Sullivan Director: Sasha Regan Choreographer: Mark Smith Musical Director: Richard Baker Reviewer: Ron Simpson The full title of this production is evidence of a distinctive – indeed, unique – brand, Sasha Regan’s All Male Iolanthe, a guarantee of a highly inventive and tirelessly energetic approach to Gilbert and Sullivan, with high camp colliding with more ...

Choreography: Kenneth MacMillan/Hans van Manen/John Cranko Design: Desmond Heeley/Jean-Paul Vroom/Osbert Lancaster Reviewer: Ron Simpson Birmingham Royal Ballet is currently touring two different triple bills on short “North” and “South” tours. Audiences in Cornwall have two new ballets on the bill, but nothing in the North programme is later than 1977 and two of the ballets are classic one-acters from the ...

Writer/Composer  W.S. Gilbert/Arthur Sullivan Director: Liam Steel Conductor: Timothy Burke Designer: Florence de Mare Reviewer: Ron Simpson English Touring Opera’s Spring programme consists of two operas which have nothing in common stylistically despite being first performed within 20 years of each other. Puccini’s blood-boltered melodrama Tosca is teamed with Patience, an excellent choice as ETO’s first Gilbert and Sullivan. Like ...

Libretto: W.S. Gilbert Music: Arthur Sullivan Director: Sasha Regan Choreographer: Lizzi Gee Reviewer: Dave Cunningham The comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan are known for being witty, with gorgeous tunes, social satire and tongue-twisting lyrics. No one would ever say that they were authentic. Really, therefore, the concept of an all-maleproduction of HMS Pinafore should not be controversial and that ...

Writer: W S Gilbert Composer: Arthur Sullivan Director:Sasha Regan Reviewer: Claire Hayes Sasha Regan’s all-male take on Gilbert &Sullivan’s Victorian classic H.M.S. Pinafore was originally staged at Southwark’s Union Theatre over two years ago, but feels just as pin-sharp in this 2016 tour as when it first set sail. Based below decks in a Second World War battleship, sailors lounge ...