Patience

One of Gilbert & Sullivan’s most successful shows, Patience, or Bunthornes Bride, is a satire that pits the straight-laced  ideals of the Victorian era against the passions and indulgencies of the 1870s Aesthetic Movement, ridiculing each side of the spectrum. Bunthorne and Grosvenor are rivals for the affections of the milkmaid, Patience. A train of languid ladies and their former flames, a Colonel, a Duke, and a Major, with a regiment of officers of the Dragoon Guards, complete the picture.

During an attractive opening we meet the ladies, singing ‘Twenty love-sick maidens we’, well presented, against a good-looking fixed set. They and the principals and soldiers that follow are all well dressed in detail. Patience, well played by Bev Butler displaying a very nice voice with a good vocal range, had learnt that true love must be “utter unselfishness” which leads her to making some  unexpected choices.

There were some other excellent characterisations including Paul Ellis as Colonel Calverley with good presence and diction, Mark Tooby as Reginald Bunthorne,  expressive and who handled the ‘patter’ songs with panache, and Samuel Taunton in fine voice as usual as Lt. The Duke of Dunstable. ‘When I first put this uniform on’, sang by Paul and the chorus was very good. I particularly enjoyed the performance of Ben Moore as Archibald Grosvenor, known to Patience some 15 years earlier – he was anything but humble believing to be perfect and his characterisation throughout made me chuckle! Tim Goodall (Major Murgatroyd) and Colin Potter (The Solicitor) added some good support.

Lady Angela (Lisa Adams), Lady Ella (Ash Butler) and Lady Saphir (Selina Greenland) provided a great contribution to a number of the musical items, together with Lady Jane (Sim Small) whose Act 2 ‘Sad is that women’s lot’ I also enjoyed. Sim was well spoken and expressive throughout.  Act 2 was in-fact packed with some excellent numbers including ‘A magnet hung in a hardware shop’, ‘So go to him and say to him’ (well handled), ‘It’s clear that Medieval art’ (very amusing) and ‘If Saphir I choose to marry’, plus ‘When I go out of door’ were other good numbers.

The ladies chorus moved smoothly throughout and their facial expressions were excellent. Sometimes piano accompaniment is all you need which proved to be the case. Full marks for style in this well directed production by Christine Davies, which deserved greater support from the public at the box office.

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