HMS Pinafore & The Zoo

HMS Pinafore & The Zoo … a concert staged by Hoghton Players at Holy Trinity Parish Centre, Hoghton Street, Southport on Saturday, 19th October 2024  

A concert of two halves …
Act one - ‘The Zoo’ with libretto by BC Stephenson (written under the pseudonym ‘Bolton Rowe’) with music by Arthur Sullivan, first produced in 1875. This farcical story concerns two pairs of lovers. First, a nobleman, who goes to the zoo to woo the girl who sells snacks, who he tries to impress by buying and eating all the food. The other couple are a young chemist who believes that he has poisoned his beloved by mixing up her father’s prescription.

Act two - the comic opera HMS Pinafore with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W.S. Gilbert, first seen in London in 1878. This is a story of Josephine, the daughter of Captain Corcoran who falls for the lowly sailor Ralph Rackstraw. However, she’s torn between her true love and her father’s desire for her to marry Sir Joseph Porter, the first Lord of the Admiralty.

Production Team… the ever present and amazingly talented Ann Dickinson MBE (Repetiteur) and amazingly versatile Ian Dunning (Conductor/MD) who led this concert,
as always, with great aplomb. Wherever and whenever Hoghton Players perform, this formidable duo is never far away… talented, enthusiastic leaders in every sense of the word…. well, done you two, be ever so proud!

The Cast… Diane Beirne, Phyllis Broughton, Dermot Coghlan, Isobel Cope, Julia Cruickshank, Dennis Davis, Peter Dunning, Stephanie Dunning, Ray Dutton, Gwyneth Farrar, Caroline Grindley, Dawn James, Mike Lomax, Clive Purchase, David Sidey, Olwen Walsh, Ian Wells, Sue Wells, Robina White and Jean Whitley.  

The Zoo… as I’ve said on many occasions, I’ve not been brought up with G & S background, but with every concert and every production I attend, I really am trying to learn and appreciate what is said and done. I’d never heard of ‘The Zoo’ and having spoken to friends who purport to have G&S backgrounds, many said the same, they’d never heard of it.  The opera is a one act opera without spoken dialogue and I must admit I did find the storyline difficult to follow, but thankfully, those wonderful narrators, who popped up throughout the piece, did help bring clarification as to what was going on!  What I did find interesting, when doing some digging, was the score for The Zoo was not published in Sullivan’s lifetime and the whereabouts of the composer’s autograph score were not publicly known until Terence Rees purchased the score at auction in 1966.  He then arranged for its publication… so the score was first produced in 1878 and only published in 1966… wow, a lot had changed in that time!  The Zoo is used as a ‘curtain raiser’ to other shorter G&S operas …
The cast included:
Stephanie Dunning taking the role of ‘Laetitia Grinder’ (in love with Carboy)
Patricia Maitland playing ‘Eliza Smith’ (Refreshment Stall owner)
Ray Dutton played ‘Aesculapius Carboy’ (A Chemist)
Peter Dunning took the role of ‘Thomas Brown’ (Disguised Aristocrat)
Dave Sidley played ‘Mr Grinder’ (Laetitia’s father)
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Chorus played the ‘Great British Public’

Loved the characters created… but I must admit I was a little worried when Ray came on with the noose around his neck … didn’t really understand what that was all about, but it was explained to me later!  As suggested previously, I did some digging after attending the concert, again trying to increase my knowledge… I wanted to try and identify the song titles… I think, I’m right in suggesting that because it was an ‘opera’ without dialogue, that there were no song titles….

HMS Pinafore … having seen ‘Pinafore’ a number of times and sung many of the songs myself… I found myself more comfortable and in tune with Act 2.
The cast included:
Gwyneth Farrar taking the part of ‘Josephine’ (The Captains Daughter) 
Julia Cruickshank/Caroline Grindley shared the role of ‘Hebe’ (Sir Joseph’s Cousin)
Robina White took part of ‘Little Buttercup’ (A Bumboat Woman)
Dermot Coghlan played ‘Ralph Rackstraw’ (Able Seaman)
Ray Dutton took role of ‘Captain Corcoran’ (Captain of HMS Pinafore)
Peter Dunning took the role of ‘Sir Joseph Porter’ (1st Lord of the Admiralty)
Ian Dunning (Whilst conducting) played ‘Bill Bobstay’ (Boatswains mate) & ‘Dick Deadeye’ (Seaman)
Sir Joseph’s sisters, cousin and aunts played by ‘Ladies of the Chorus’
The Ship’s Company was played by the ‘Gentlemen of the Chorus’

I do love ‘Pinafore’ … there are some great songs that were sung with energy and passion and also acted out very well. PS: Peter Dunning must have the most expressive/animated face ever! There is always a great feel of comradery running through this society, you can tell by the smiles on their faces, the joy emanating from the voices… that everyone is just having the time of their life… long may that continue…  it really does feel like one big happy family coming together to sing and enjoy themselves!

As you know, I’m never one to sit on the fence…
So, if I may, I’d like to share with you MY FAVORITE performances….  
Act 1 … The Zoo, I thought all the soloist did a great job, but the real ‘standout’ for me was the support offered throughout by the chorus’ … impressive, lovely blending, some lovely harmonies. 
Act 2 … HMS Pinafore… Gwyneth Farrar stole the show for me…her rendition of ‘Sorry Her Lot Who Loves Too Well’ although possibly a little shaky at the start, ended superbly.  Her duet with Dermot as ‘Ralph’… ‘Refrain, Audacious Tar’ was amazing and her rendition of ‘The Hours Creep on Apace’, wow brought the house down… be ever so proud Gwyneth.  I need again to mention the ‘chorus’ and the support they gave throughout… be proud!

Thank you once again for a great evening, it was good to meet David Sidley the societies new Chairman and to catch up with Isobel and Caroline… thank you so much for looking after my wife and I. Had chance to speak again with Mary Brocklehurst and to see my ‘not so new’ now Olwen Walsh…. thank you once again Hoghton Players for another evening of G & S.

Stay safe, keep well…
‘Stronger Together’

Jim Briscoe

NODA NW
District 6 Rep

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