Iolanthe

This was a really brilliant production, cleverly brought up to date by Brian Robinson, and it lifted all our spirits after the gales and wet weather we have had recently. I am still humming the finale!  Costumes were excellent and there were very good sets for both halves.

Iolanthe is a fairy banished because of her relationship with a human, her sentence is twenty five years, but happily reprieved! Now her son Strephon, is hoping to marry, although to be top half a fairy and bottom half a human may be a bit difficult!  Superb chorus work as usual led by Andrew Burke and his excellent orchestra. I loved all the performances. Sarah Bucknall as Queen of the Fairies is always so professional as was Louise Cockerill as Phyllis, fiancée to Strephon, Mark Ellis.  Mark gave just the right comedy for the part which after all is a very strange courtship only being half and half!  Phil Holmes always commands the stage and his character (Private Willis) comes on with great strides!!  Lucy Pakes as Iolanthe was excellent and sang beautifully in the  role. I especially liked her duet with her human husband Martin Clarke, another excellent performance.  A great chorus as usual – I loved it!

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