The Grand Duke

The 2019 tour by this G&S focussed society took in three venues and we saw the final performance.  Gilbert and Sullivan’s last collaboration, and possibly their least known, was here set in the Wild West of the late 1800s.   Ludwig, an actor, succeeds Rudolph, the miserly Grand Duke of Pfenning Halbpfenning after “killing” Rudolph by drawing the ace in a statutory duel!  By taking on Rudolph’s obligations he soon finds himself with more wives and prospective wives than he knows what to do with!

It’s not the easiest plot to follow and the script is wordier than I expected.  The programme noted that, with Gilbert and Sullivan renowned for topsy-turvy whimsicality, The Grand Duke could have been their topsy-turviest!

The society has never presented the show in it’s 85 year history and it is to their great credit that they undertook this production as most of the cast had probably never done it previously.  The music is challenging although typical G&S and the ensemble singing was super and nicely accompanied by The Kingston Savoy Orchestra.

There were some strong individual performances including those from Leon Waksberg as Ludwig, Zoe Sellens (Lisa), Alice Giblin (Julia Jellicoe), Cameron O’Byrne as Ernest Dummkopf, the leader of the travelling theatre group and Peter Jonas who portrayed The Grand Duke.  Their vocals were excellent and Alice did a super job of maintaining an American accent throughout.

Supporting well were Sophie Rowe playing the baritone role of Dr Tannhäuser, Sara Peachey (Baroness von Krakenfeldt), John Lamb (The Prince of Monte Carlo) Louise Jacques in a lovely cameo of The Princess of Monte Carlo and Joseph Marshall as the Herald.

The set was very well used on a small stage and the costumes, as always, were very good.  Sometimes the orchestra was a little overpowering but this did not spoil my enjoyment of the show, even though I probably still don’t understand it!

Well done!

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