Patience

The Grove Theatre is an intimate venue below the Eastbourne Library with a reception and bar area and an auditorium to seat possibly 100 people and a stage of sufficient size for the sixth of G and S Savoy operas. The front of the space was set cabaret style with rows of seating behind.

Another of  G & S collaboration which enjoys poking fun and mocking the establishment, ‘Patience’ is a satire on the ‘aesthetic movement’ not so popular as some operas but nevertheless equally as amusing, wordy and full of melodic and harmonic music. An excellent cast with twelve named parts and seven ensemble members produced lines and lyrics of clarity, harmony and strength,  audible, amusing, with great use of pauses and facial movements and co-ordinated action, accompanied by the experienced four piece orchestra under the expert eye of Tony Biggin.

The experienced Director Cate set this piece at the Hereford Literary Festival in 2018 with the stage dressed with colourful narrow banners, printed boards on an easel, a raised platform, a couple of colourful folding chairs, a serving area depicting Patience’s  café ‘The Happy Milkmaid’ with patio chairs and tables, with a moveable screen, The backdrop and sides all black. All most effective. I like the balanced movements created and the floral choreography performed.

The adoring  ‘Aesthetic’  ladies were very floral, some adorned with flower headdresses, light deck shoes sparkling make up, all clutching a similar book of poetry and printed Literary Festival bags on their auditorium entry, led by sprightly Lady Angela who at the end pairs with the Colonel,  played by stalwart Sue Davies. They flocked to admire the work of poet Reginald Bunthorne, guest at the Festival. Paul Eccles plays this comic role, almost unrecognisable with a greyish neck length wig which he loved to flick. It matched his beard. Dressed casually in slacks, shirt covered by waistcoat, scarf around the neck and sporting a crossbody fabric  boho hippie bag, his eye movements as usual mischievous. I particularly enjoyed his duet ‘Boo to you, Pooh to you’ with  Lady Jane,  played by Margo Miller. It is she who  reveals to the lovesick females that he has his eye on Patience. Her performance was a credit using pauses in her comedy script to much effect  and sang some fine numbers. The Dragoons are in town and have been spurned by the ladies. They were dressed in fatigues with mainly well-polished boots, with the exception of  Col. Calverley in scarlet uniform with Alex Abrahams in fine baritone voice together with a smart Major Murgatroyd in  navy blue played by Richard Tanner having first played in this opera in Buxton in 2002. The Duke was Nigel Lawton, again a strong performance who eventually chooses ‘plain’ Lady Jane. Together the men give a fine rendition of ‘Soldiers of the Queen.’ Both Lady Ella and Lady Saphir have supporting roles and are well sung and acted by Louise Cleland and Rowan Lawton

Patience is beautifully played and sung by Soprano Yvonne Lloyd particularly commendable her solo ‘A Plaintive Song’. She confesses she only loved her aunt, and  she has not really known real love as a child and it was Archibald Grosvenor who was four! He now appears as a man of perfection, and rival poet with  Adrian Samuel taking this role, donning a dark shoulder length wig with a front portion pulled back into a top knot. Splendidly played with a jolly number with the maidens ‘Silver Churn’ Also notable was the duet ‘Prithee Pretty Maiden’ with Patience.

The story of course has many twists and turns and changing of minds, but finally the soldiers return, the ladies are now happy with their lot, Patience has Grosvenor with her chance of real unselfish love and only poor Bunthorne remains single. This was a most enjoyable evening’s entertainment, well portrayed by the whole company  - the principals, cameo parts and ensemble on stage and backstage crew.

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