The Yeomen of the Guard

The Yeomen of the Guard was first produced in London at the Savoy Theatre in 1888, the 11th G and S collaboration. Although still peppered with wit, it is less openly comic than other G and S favourites, has a sadder, more melancholic story to tell, and is considered the closest in style to ‘grand’ opera, both in terms of its drama and musicality. It seems to have been a favourite of Gilbert and Sullivan themselves, although on the opening night Gilbert was worried that it was all too serious, and would not be well received. It was, of course, and ran for 423 performances.

Yeomen was the first production by Godalming Operatic Society when it was founded in 1925, and was therefore a very apt choice with which to celebrate GOS’s centenary year.  And a very fine celebration performance it was too!

The programme was packed full of interesting stuff, including the note that the front cover included the faces of the first GOS Jack Point from the 1925 performance, and of Elsie in the 2010 performance (the last one before this). There was a two-page article on the GOS story; a page on highlights of the centenary year; another on the Golden Jubilee of 1975; a piece about the opera itself and a page of wonderful photos from previous Yeomen performances, of which there had been 9. No less interesting were the Chairman’s Note, profiles of the two directors and members of the cast, a page of useful background notes, on historical characters, 100 crowns and so on. Last but not least a couple of pages on ‘The Tower of London, strange but true!’ All in all a very good read, as we have come to expect from GOS.

The curtain opened onto a beautiful set of the Tower of London, with one of the half-timbered warder’s cottages to the left, and a balustraded raised walkway to the rear 3 or 4 steps up. Phoebe was seated at her spinning wheel. An arquebus played a role later (an early long-barrelled gun that was the start of accurate firearm weaponry, as we learnt from the programme). An executioner’s block was brought on at one point, complete with basket to catch the head, and the most beautifully shaped yet frightening long axe.

Costumes were delightful. The Lieutenant of the Tower and Leonard Meryll were clad in fine Tudor garb complete with fur-edged cloaks or coats. Sergeant Meryll wore a dark blue version of the Yeoman’s uniform, marked with H R, the other Yeomen looking very fine also in their splendid red ones. Phoebe wore a simple gown, shawl and bonnet. Dame Carruthers seemed to be dressed in a black housekeeper’s outfit, and wore a large crucifix round her neck, if I remember correctly. Elsie Maynard wore a small black cap adorned with colourful ribbons. Her dress was very pretty, its skirt also bedecked with beautiful long ribbons of many colours. Later she wore a splendid wedding gown. Jack Point wore two fabulous different jester’s motley outfits, one brightly coloured at the start, the later one in dark purple and gold, to echo his dark mood as he realised he would lose his dear Elsie. He carried a marotte which matched his outfit in both cases. The costumes certainly added to our enjoyment of the production.

GOS’s Musical Director David Wright once again delighted us right from the start with a tremendous overture, and throughout the performance, as he and the 24-piece orchestra accompanied the singers so sensitively. The ensemble pieces were an absolute joy, with a great balance of sound. Godalming Operatic use no microphones nor amplification, which is very refreshing in this day and age.

The production opened with Phoebe singing of love. She had fallen in love with Colonel Fairfax, a prisoner in the tower who she had spotted walking during his allotted time for exercise, she had never spoken to him though. Wilfred Shadbolt, Head Jailor and Assistant Tormentor, was sweet on Phoebe, and sang of the jealousy he felt, and how it would be better to sit on red hot coal, than love a heartless jade.  The great casting of these two opening characters, Rebecca Lucas and Joel Parkinson, meant we knew we could relax into a great performance. Dame Carruthers and the Yeomen gave a hearty performance of a kind of ode to the Tower ‘When our gallant Norman foes’.  A plot was hatched to free Fairfax, who had once saved Sergeant Meryll’s life. Phoebe needed to steal the Jailor’s keys. Fairfax needed to find a wife in order that his lands and fortune would not pass to the kinsman who had brought the false charges against him. Enter the strolling jester, Jack Point, and his partner, the singer Elsie Maynard.

Lee Power gave his all as Jack, a fine and sensitive performance. Petronella Kereszturi delighted as Elsie, in fine voice and in that fascinating costume. Their beautiful rendering of ‘I have a song to sing, O’ was a brilliant highlight of the evening, echoed so sadly later on by Jack Point in the finale. Elsie is persuaded by the Lieutenant of the Tower, (the imposing Richard Arthur, a fine role for him), to marry Fairfax for one hour and 100 crowns (she has a sick mother). Phoebe yearns for Fairfax, and Rebecca Lucas gave us a lovely and sensitive ‘Were I your bride’.

The second half opens a few days later with the escaped prisoner still free. The indomitable Dame Carruthers chides the warders for not having captured the prisoner, ‘Warders are ye?’. A great performance from Rachael Jones.

Point and Wilfred plot a pretend shooting of the prisoner, whose ‘body’ is then to be swept away in the river. Their dejection is palpable, great acting here. They cheer themselves up with Point teaching Wilfred to be a jester, a fine scene with Lee Power performing the fine patter song ‘Oh! A private buffoon’ marvellously, and Joel Parkinson and he wowing the audience with their fine duet: ‘Here upon we’re both agreed’.

Fairfax, well played by Tim Dutton, discovers that the beautiful Elsie is the unseen girl he married. Dame Carruthers discovers the plot, so dear old Sergeant Meryll feels he has to marry her, Mark Waters made him a real and endearing figure. Phoebe, so dejected at Fairfax’s love for Elsie, inadvertently betrays the truth of the plot to Wilfred, so she reluctantly agrees to marry him.

Of course, all’s well that ends well, or is it?  Fairfax is reprieved, three marriages occur, yet poor Jack Point falls senseless to the floor in despair.  I felt really sad for him, which speaks to the quality of Lee Power’s performance.

Godalming Operatic gave their all for this centenary production. The chorus and all the principals were tremendous, so many fine voices, great acting by everyone, a sensitive interpretation of the libretto, and great musicality. The ensemble numbers were stunning. It was a welcome return for Director Pat O’Connell, who drew every ounce of humour out of the finely crafted words, and every ounce of wit from his performers, each and every one.

Happy Centenary Year, GOS, we are so lucky to have such a fine society keeping the G and S tradition alive!

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.