The Grand Duke or The Statutory Duel

St David’s Players have an impressive reputation for their Gilbert and Sullivan productions, and their choice of The Grand Duke for their 50th Anniversary proved to be very popular - they had few empty seats throughout the entire run. 

It is to be regretted that there are now so few G&S productions, as the costumes are invariably interesting and elegant, the music so tuneful and the dialogue is awash with humour.  They are indeed excellent entertainment.

The Grand Duke is the last of the collaborations between Gilbert and Sullivan and is one of the less known.  It was new to me, as I imagine it was to the majority of the audience.  It soon became clear why it is seldom performed.  All operettas require excellent voices from the principals, but this has numerous additional named roles who are also required to perform solos.  Their voices must fill an auditorium without the help of a microphone.  We are blessed with many good musical societies in the South West, but there are not many others who could have tackled The Grand Duke.

The storyline is convoluted, even more so than is usual with this genre.  The director wisely used the overture, which incidentally was written in this instance by Sullivan rather than an assistant, to set the scene of this theatre troupe and their plans to overthrow the hierarchy of Pfennig Halbpfennig.  Also the cast, with their clear diction and good understanding of their characters and their parts in the plot, helped to convey the goings-on in Pfennig Halbpfennig and dispel any possible confusion.     

The many opportunities for humour in The Grand Duke were used to good advantage and this was clearly much appreciated by the audience, going by the quantity of laughter that could be heard.   There were many clever touches. It was the Baroness, I think, who exited in a coach with trotting horses who were members of the cast, this was very neatly achieved. Another was the heavy legal tome being rested on the head of a less tall member of the cast whilst the Notary read from it.  There were many of these instances throughout the operetta. 

The casting for this production was superb.  So many highly talented actors were involved. There was glorious singing from the principles and also the chorus.  Acting too was of a very high standard with every person on stage understanding the character they were playing and their place in the story.  There was dancing too, choreographed by the director, well suited to the story and ably performed.

The roles of chamberlains were taken by young people who it is to be hoped will continue their association with theatre in future years.  They performed with confidence and understanding.

There were guest appearances, as French Nobles, by former members of St David's Players.  They were amusingly dressed as characters from other G and S operettas.   This was a clever idea that added to the fun. 

The singing was superb, an absolute joy to listen to.  So too the orchestra - such a wonderful sound and sympathetic to the voices.  There were no problems with sound balance, every fabulous note and word could be heard.

The costumes were gorgeous.  This must have been a major job for the wardrobe department as the cast needed at least two costumes each - one as members of the theatre troupe, and another the Greek costume for the Shakespeare play they were rehearsing.  Elaborate hairstyles or wigs were required by many of the actors, as well as a large number of props.  Suddenly a roulette wheel appeared - where to find one of those?

 The set, which had been constructed by members of the society and transported to the Barnfield Theatre was most attractive and yet simple.  There was a perception of distance given by cleverly planned lighting between a “double layer” of flats to the upstage of the set.  This is difficult to describe but it worked so well that the feeling of the houses going well into the distance, was real.

It is almost mind-boggling how many people are involved backstage to produce something of such high quality.   

Congratulations to St David’s Players, this was an outstanding production, an evening of glorious singing and so much more.

Joyce

 

 

 

 

 

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