Iolanthe

Iolanthe

Bentley Operatic Society

9/2/25

 

Iolanthe was written by possibly the best-known librettist/composer duo in history W.S Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s works often parody the Victorian-era society in which the pair created their operettas, with elements of the absurd and fantasy peppered in. Iolanthe not only targets peers of the realm and the British system of government, but also offers thinly disguised portraits of Queen Victoria and William Gladstone Liberal MP of the day. The Bentley production of Iolanthe is graced with a full house on this chilly February afternoon.

The story began twenty-five years ago, when the fairy Iolanthe (Isobel Jenkins) married a mortal, a capital offence under fairy law. What we have to remember is fairies do not age beyond early adulthood. The Queen of Fairies (Hilary Galley) however, commuted her sentence from death to lifetime banishment on condition that she left her husband never to see him again but not before she manages to have a son, Strephon, who is half mortal half fairy. Now grown up, Strephon (Nick Cooper) is a shepherd and has fallen in love with Phyllis (Bernadette O’Keefe), a shepherdess whose Guardian is the Lord Chancellor (John Kennedy). Phyllis remains ignorant of Stephon’s origins. The fairies still miss Iolanthe and plead with their Queen to bring her back from exile. (Tripping Hither Tripping Thither) The Queen of the Fairies, on hearing she has lived beneath a gloomy pond all this time, feels unable to bear punishing her any longer, recalls Iolanthe and Fairy Celia (Athena Mensah) Flete (Kate Cooper) Leila (Helen Johnson) and all the fairies rejoice at the reunion. Strephon and his mother Iolanthe are reunited, and he shares his intention to marry Phyllis. Now as Phyllis is a Ward of Chancery and therefore under the protection of the Lord Chancellor, she will need his permission to do so, unfortunately, he had withheld his consent for their marriage knowing Phyllis was admired by two Peers in particular at the House of Lords. Despite the obstacles Strephon and Phyllis wish to marry without delay (If we are weak enough to tarry).

The Lord Chancellor and members of the House of Lords enter in grand procession (The law is the true embodiment). The peers smitten with Phyllis, Earl Mountararat (Steve Riordan) and Earl Tolloler (Ste Sutcliffe) have appealed to the Lord Chancellor to decide which of them shall have her hand in marriage. The Lord Chancellor himself is not immune to Phyllis’s charms but, as her guardian, hesitates to take her for himself. The lords summon Phyllis and invite her to choose one of their number to marry; she, however, declines to marry any of them. The Chancellor continues to reject Strephon as a husband for Phyllis, distraught, Strephon turns to his mother for comfort and advice. Their embrace is seen by both Tolloler and Mountararat together with Phyllis, all jump to the wrong conclusion as Iolanthe still looks like a young woman (remember she is a fairy). Phyllis then rejects him for his apparent infidelity.

 Strephon calls on the Queen of the Fairies for advice and help. Infuriated by the peer’s behaviour, the Queen declares that Strephon will enter parliament. Fully supported by her authority, he will have the power to pass any bill he proposes. The peers’ authority will be crushed. The Queen notices Private Willis (Tony Clare), while he is on sentry duty at the Palace of Westminster, he muses on the vagaries of political life, this G&S satire at its very best. (When all night long a chap remains) The Queen admits her attraction for this mortal. The fairies goad the peers on the success of Stephon’s parliamentary career, his bill to open the Lords to competitive examination rather than inherited peerage was causing much consternation. The lords ask the fairies for help with the rethinking Stephon’s plan to disrupt the status quo. The fairies find themselves being attracted to the peers, but they are fearful of upsetting the Queen who protects Strephon.

The Director James Craig did a fine job with this sharp satirical operetta, highlighting the injustice of powerful political inheritance. The set was minimal, the actors performing area directly in front of the audience, which worked well. Praise for Brial Tubb who beautiflly directed the cast through the musical challenges of this busy operrata.  Well done to   the wardrobe team, the costumes were a delight.  The talented cast knew their Gilbert and Sullivan, the Peers ensembles were a joy.  There were some castings that were somewhat older or younger than the character required but this is to be expected in community theatre and did not serve to distract from what was a super ensemble performance.

In conclusion Strephon confesses to Phyllis that he is half a fairy, and they decide to marry as soon as possible. They persuade Iolanthe to appeal to the Lord Chancellor on their behalf, and she does so, revealing that she is his wife. Thus, she again incurs the death penalty. Meanwhile, the other fairies have married the other peers, and so all should die. The Lord Chancellor suggests that by adding the word 'don't' to the fairy law, the fairies would not have to die. To save her life, the Queen marries Private Willis, all the mortals are transformed into fairies, and they all fly away to Fairyland, leaving the House of Lords to be filled according to intelligence not birth (Soon as we may off and away.)

Some fine performances here, I would just like to mention John Kennedy, splendid performance as The Chancellor, and Tony Clare as Private Willis who was hilarious.

The popularity of this famous duo who favoured satirical operettas, and  poked fun at the establishment using wit and humour as a way of expressing political opinion has never diminished thanks to armature societies such as The Bentley, long may it continue. Thank you for a lovely afternoon of musical theatre.

 

Joanne Rymer

NODA

District 4

 

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