The Gondoliers
Information
- Date
- 1st March 2019
- Society
- Girton Musical Theatre
- Venue
- Girton Glebe School
- Type of Production
- Musical
- Director
- Helen Wilson & Jane Williams
- Musical Director
- Patricia Davies
- Choreographer
- Nirupa Desai
The Gondoliers is the 12th and most popular of the operettas by Gilbert & Sullivan and it was well staged by this company.
The Girton Glebe stage is extremely wide but Girton Musical Theatre use every inch of it and you could not help but admire the fine set, all home painted and created, setting the Venetian scene complete with moving gondola which drew well deserved applause as the curtains opened. The hard-working stage crew should be congratulated as the opening of Act 2 saw a full set change of colour scheme and location which was again impressive. The costumes were lovely and colourful and appropriate to the era. The lighting too was good. Chorus movement was minimal except for the Cachucha which was choreographed by Nirupa Desai.
As the Overture played the assembling crowd entered portraying well the ‘busy’ backdrop to a fascinating ‘misplaced at birth’ tale with a twist.
Of course there are significant roles. The two Gondoleri, as per the song...as ‘Kings’ in waiting, Marco (Steven Aronson) and Giuseppe (Jerry Harrison in extremely fine voice) played well off each other, and achieved good relationships with their erstwhile possibly ‘temporary’ wives, Gianetta (Maggie Phillips) and Tessa (Helen Wilson) providing good support.
Luiz was nicely played by Øistein Andersen whose fine vocals were complemented by his denied love Casilda, played with graceful style and regal bearing by Nirupa Desai, who has the most glorious voice . Casilda’s parents The Duke of Plaza Toro (George Thorpe) and his Duchess (Glynis Ellis) added humour particularly in their songs containing some poignant advice for life.
The role of The Grand Inquisitor, Don Alhambra del Bolero, has to strike a particularly difficult and demanding balance between comedy and stern law enforcement, and can fall between two stools...here Simon Fitch got it just about right with some trade mark G&S tongue twisting tricky patter singing, his was a striking presence with his black costume enhanced with a red lined cloak. Those in all other named roles acquitted themselves well.
In any G&S production the Chorus singing and ensemble involvement is important. Involvement here wasn’t an issue but volume, I am afraid was, particularly in the female section. MD Patricia Davies (who clearly knew every word as well as they did) got the orchestra/singer balance right but the volume coming across the footlights was a problem.
Although staged in a traditional way, there was plenty of humour in this production,. Directors Helen Wilson and Jane Williams can always be relied upon to add their own little quirky touches which are never over-done and always fun, and this year was no exception. The protest march during the Overture, the numerous and very odd pieces of luggage, issuing passports and my favourite of the evening “Breakfast, means Breakfast” Classic.
Overall a good traditional production, and now the Canal is drained ready for next year when Girton Musical Theatre take to the high seas with The Pirates of Penzance.
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