The Gondoliers

This well-loved comic opera was brought to the Middlesbrough stage by Tees Valley Gilbert and Sullivan Society.  The story revolves around two young gondoliers from Venice, their brides and a young bride of the unknown heir to the throne of the kingdom of Barataria.  In typical Gilbert and Sullivan style, there is a secret love story and confusion about the identity of the true heir to the throne.

The curtains opened to reveal a female chorus declaring their passion for a pair of gondoliers, with a lovely solo from Debbie Hodgson (Fiametta).  It was nice to see so many younger chorus members joining the society who gave very promising performances with lovely facial expression and dancing.   By contrast, the smaller male chorus of gondoliers was predominantly mature, with some strong singing and lovely harmonies.

The two gondoliers were well-played by David Beall (Marco) and David Cadman (Giuseppe).  Both Davids gave secure vocal performances with good comedy timing throughout.  The brothers randomly chose their brides from the female chorus.  Catherine Williamson gave a very good portrayal of Tessa and Meike Wanjek delivered a beautiful soprano in her role as Gianetta. 

The Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro (John Hegarty and Frances Cook) were both excellent in their roles.  Samantha Holden was outstanding as their daughter Casilda.  Samantha delivered a confident performance with great expertise.  I particularly liked her chemistry with Adam Hegarty (the Duke’s attendant, Luiz).  Samantha and Adam sang beautifully in the duets, their voices blending perfectly.

No Gilbert and Sullivan production would be complete without a comedy-villain and this was brought to us by Alistair Bolton as Don Alhambra del Bolero (the Grand Inquisitor).  Alistair had excellent diction and characterisation throughout and a fabulous hat.

The set was stunningly simple and very well painted.  The costumes were vibrant and well designed in keeping with the period.  Additional comedy was added to the dialogue with modern references, for example when the gondoliers offered Don Alhambra a Big Mac!

The band was ably conducted by Stephen Sild and there was a nice balance between instruments. On the whole, the sound was very clear and vocals could be heard from the 4th row of the circle without the use of radio microphones.  However, occasional solo lines were lost when some cast members sang upstage. 

Well done Tees Valley Gilbert and Sullivan Society and thank you for a very enjoyable evening.

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