The Sorcerer

It was a pleasure to return to Blackburn Gilbert and Sullivan Society for their 2025 production of The Sorcerer. For me personally, it is one of the lesser known of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operettas, having been many years since I last saw it. Blackburn gave their audience a fresh, vibrant production, with lashings of comedy and truly hilarious moments amidst beautifully sung harmonies. The cast were strong singers, the company animated and lively.

The curtain opened onto a village green. Box hedges and stone pillars, flowers, and an arbor in bloom, adorned the stage. There was a celebration in progress and the villagers of Ploverleigh were getting ready to party. The year, 1977, Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee celebrations and the betrothal of Ploverleigh’s very own golden couple, Alexis Pointdextre, and Aline Sangazure, were about to start.

Director, David Slater, created a wonderful show, full of well-placed humour. Bringing the show forward one hundred years, setting it in 1977, was an inspiration. Bell bottomed trousers, floral dresses and an outrageously curly wig added visual humour. David has great insight into his audience and laughter ran through the auditorium at regular intervals. The ensemble was lively; the company moved naturally around the stage. I particularly enjoyed the opening scene as the actors busied themselves putting the final additions to the banquet whilst the overture played. The audience laughed aloud as Neville Hartley comically tried to attach a banner, just placed out of his reach, his huge wig of curly hair and groovy flared trousers looked fabulous, what a great sport. All the cast looked great in their 70’s costumes, they seemed comfortable and appeared to be having great fun throughout. I thought the overly hairy chest of one gentleman, during the love potion scene, was jolly comical, I do like attention to tiny details and David had covered all bases.

The orchestra, set on the stage, to the rear, behind a white picket fence (a large portrait of Queen Elizabeth II hung directly above them centre stage,) added an extra dimension to the garden party atmosphere. Musical Director, Alasdair Gordon presented some wonderful vocal arrangements, both male and female ensembles were strong, notes were clear, ringing out beautifully. Harmonies were close, concise, soloists were powerful. The opening number, ‘Ring forth, ye bells,’ was fabulous, voices building as the stage filled up with cast members. Time spent perfecting notes really paid off, and combined with an excellent orchestra, the show moved smoothly from one vocal arrangement to the next. Sound by The Empire team was exacting, with no feedback or dropouts, the vocal levels and orchestra complementing each other greatly.

The stage looked warm and summery. Lights designed to recreate the perfect day, reducing in act two as day turned into night. Reds and blues surrounded John Wellington Wells as he cast his incantations, sinister and evocative. Pinks and cyans picked out the female chorus and during ‘With Heart and Voice,’ adding a softness to the scene. I particularly liked the use of handheld torches during the opening of act two, as nighttime had fallen and the stage was dark, only the faces of the actors illuminated, an effective, ethereal ambience as the Sorcerer’s magic began to take effect.

Two trestle tables stood in front of the orchestra, separated by a tea trolly complete with gigantic tea pot. The tables were laden with confectionery for the celebrations and company members placed more food stuffs on the tables as the production began. Lynn Alman offered a fantastic array of props throughout the show, the buffet tables alone looked great. I particularly enjoyed the ‘spell,’ the fireworks within the tea pot, looked highly effective.

The Sorcerer is a story about love. Alexis loves Aline and wants everyone to feel as happy as he does, he also believes love should overcome all social boundaries. He buys a love potion from a travelling sorcerer and administers it to the unsuspecting villagers thus resulting in hilariously mismatched relationships and his own true love lost. Paul Cross was impressive as Alexis. He has a great ability for difficult dialogue, lengthy sentences full of alliteration, delivered with passion and confidence. Vocally strong, Paul is great as a soloist and in harmony, his top tenor notes easily done.

Debbie Seddon played Aline. Aline loves Alexis, but when pushed by him to drink the love potion, at first, she refuses. She does not need a potion to prove her love. Eventually she relents and drinks, only to fall for the first person she sets eyes on, which unfortunately is not Alexis. Debbie had a fabulous top soprano range, her notes clear, ringing aloud then pulled in soft and gentle, simply lovely. Her facial expressions were fabulous through. Debbie is a great vocalist and actor.

The Sorcerer, John Wellington Wells, created the potion that made every single person fall for the first person they laid eyes on. Unwittingly catching the attention of Lady Sangazure. Tony Lewis was great as Wells, in his overcoat and cap, every inch the smooth operator. I throughly enjoyed, ‘My Name is John Wellington Wells,’ a fast patter song, delivered with clarity and excellent timing. With a twinkle in his eye and a dash of mischief to his character, Tony was strong stage presence throughout.

Unbeknownst to all, Alexis’s father Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre and Aline’s mother Lady Sangazure, were passionately in love. Bursting out onto stage, Lady Sangazure, already inebriated from the day’s festivities, sang, ‘My Child, I join in these congratulations,’ making the audience laugh aloud. Brenda Murray was fabulous as Lady Sangazure, displaying a very convincing drunk on stage. Looking slightly worse for wear, her posture and staggered walk were all exquisitely played. Brenda has a wonderfully strong vocal range, and an excellent sense of comedy timing. I though the scene with Wells, Sangazure in a silky white negligee, was excellent. Both actors playing their parts effortlessly and with ensuring hilarity.

Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre, played by Tony Alman, was the no nonsense father to Alexis. With his old-fashioned views on love, marriage, and class distinction, whilst keeping his own desire for Lady Sangazure secret. That is, until the potion pairs him with the formidable working class, Mrs. Partlet. Tony was confident, animated with a smooth vocal ability. His duet with Lady Sangazure, ‘Welcome, Joy!’ was comical and timed to precision.

I did think Heather Nicolas as Mrs Partlet was cast perfectly. With a strong northern accent, apron, cap and handbag, she was the hardworking mother to Constance. With the patience of a saint and a great deal of feigned interest, she sat through her daughter’s overly dramatic outbursts, darning and using excellent facial expressions. A wonderfully strong character actor, with an excellent vocal range, ‘Constance, my daughter, why this strange depression?’ was humorous and well paced.

Amy Bell was marvellous as Constance, her unrequited love for Dr Daly the cause of her dramatic outbursts. Amy has a lovely soprano voice, clear and confident. Her solo, ‘When he is here,’ was beautifully sung and comically acted as Amy threw herself with abandon into adolescent angst. I have to say, the inclusion of her being chased by the decrepit notary was hilarious, her facial expressions as she was ‘in love’ with him after drinking the potion, were jolly funny, a mixture of confusion, repulsion and besotted love crossing her features as she tried to escape. An excellent character performance from Amy.

Dr Daly, the local vicar, played by Andrew Lyons, bemoaned his lack of a love match but despite frequent hints, refused the attentions of Constance as the folly of her youth. Andrew was very funny in this role, I particularly enjoyed his performance of ‘Engaged to So and so,’ the mock flute playing had the audience laughing aloud, especially when he deliberately messed it up. With some strong solos throughout, Andrew was wonderful in this role.

The doddering Notary, played by Bill Shaw, provided much amusement during the show. He hobbled onto stage in the wake of the fleeing Constance, repeatedly, causing ripples of laughter to fill the auditorium whenever they passed through a scene. At the playing age of 83 years old, he was not slowing down as he pottered on, his walking stick shaking, in pursuit of the much younger Constance. A jolly funny characterisation from Bill.

A special appearance from members of the Zoe Taylor Dance Academy added to the atmosphere as they performed acrobatics and swirled around during the incantation scene, like magical woodland nymphs moving across the stage. Full of energy and enthusiasm they leapt and tumbled, earning a huge round of applause, from the audience, upon completion of the routine.

There were many memorable performances throughout the evening, too many to mention unfortunately, the whole production was slick and pacy, audience members singing along to the tunes they obviously knew by heart. I thoroughly enjoyed The Sorcerer, it was fresh and vibrant, comical, and interesting. The whole society pulled together to produce a fantastic show. I would like to thank Blackburn G&S society for inviting me and for their attention to myself and my plus one throughout the evening. I look forward to many more productions from them in the future.

 

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.