Trial by Jury and The Zoo

Matlock Gilbert & Sullivan Society have recently tweaked their name and are now called Matlock G & S Singers. As they say, ‘It is less Victorian and more wide-reaching’. It is their first fully staged production since 2019 and is a double-bill of Trial by Jury and The Zoo. I noticed from the programme that Trial By Jury was to be followed by Songs from the Musical Hall - very intriguing I thought!

Trial by Jury is set in a court of Law and to represent this there was a two-tiered raised dais to one side on which there was a ‘lectern’ and chairs for the Judge’s Bench with seating on two raised platforms across the back of the performance area for the Jury and more on the flat for the general public. There was also a gazebo to one side serving as a tea room at the court. It is an extremely small performance area and the setting was simplistic, but most effective. The male members of the Jury were very well dressed with wing-collared shirts with cravats, trousers and glorious waistcoats and the Ladies in the ‘public gallery’ were equally well dressed in skirts and blouses each wearing a lovely flower-adorned hat. 

Trial by Jury is built around a case for ‘breach of promise’ brought by The Plaintiff, Angelina, against The Defendant, Edwin. Both the Judge and the Jury become so enthralled by Angelina that they are unable to come to an understanding so much so that the impatient Judge suddenly descends from the ‘Bench’ and declares that he will marry Angelina himself. 

Simon Brister, resplendent in robes and a grandiose wig, was superb as The Learned Judge. His rendition of ‘When I, good friends, was called to the Bar’ was so animatedly performed and he really brought out the humour in it so brilliantly. Andrew Moore has such a fine tenor singing voice and he excelled as Edwin, The Defendant. He played the role so ‘matter-of factly’ sitting around eating cake, whilst trying to wheedle his way out of this ‘dilemma’. Another super performance came from Helen Taylor, in full wedding attire, as Angelina, The Plaintiff. Her singing and flirtatious mannerisms towards members of the Jury and especially towards the Judge were sublime. What a wonderful and powerful singing voice came from Mike Bradshaw as The Usher and when he ordered ‘Silence in Court’ he was definitely heard!! Liz McKenzie was perfect in the role of Counsel for the Plaintiff and good support came from David Stokes as Foreman of the Jury and from Sue Kirwan as the Bridesmaid. 

Following the ending of Trial by Jury the seating arrangements were changed and with a now ‘wig-less’ Judge, who incredibly and masterfully took on the persona of Leonard Sachs, who chaired the ‘The Good Old Days’ a BBC television series that ran from 1953 to 1983, we were now in a ‘Music Hall’. Simon Brister was absolutely brilliant as he elaborately, eloquently and alliteratively introduced the singers performing ‘Songs from the Music Hall’. Susan Devaney sang, ‘The Boy I Love is up in the Gallery, Sue Kirwan very appropriately sang, ‘Why am I Always the Bridesmaid’, Linda Hardy sang, ‘Joshua’, Lesley Kraushaar sang, ‘My Hero’ from The Chocolate Soldier and Chris Kraushaar sang, ‘Oh! What a Beauty’. These were all so well sung and delivered but I must admit the highlight for me was to hear Chris Flint, the accompanist, so exquisitely play ‘Rustle of Spring’ by the Norwegian composer, Christian Sinding. Chris is undoubtedly an extremely talented pianist but I have always encountered him as an accompanist but to hear him play this most difficult piece, just blew me away, his playing was awesome. After the ‘Music Hall’ everyone left the stage singing ‘We’re Going to the Zoo’ - how appropriate!

After the Interval, we did indeed go to The Zoo. The libretto is by Bolton Rowe (also known as B.C. Stephenson) with music by Arthur Sullivan. This farcical story concerns two ‘couples’. First, a nobleman, in disguise, who goes to the zoo to woo the girl who sells snacks there. He tries to impress her by buying and eating an astonishing amount of food. The other couple is an apothecary who believes that he has poisoned his beloved by mixing up her father’s prescription with peppermint that he had meant for her. We still have the Gazebo but it is now bedecked with bunting and has become the refreshment stall. The chairs etc. have been removed, as has the Judge’s Bench which is replaced by a wooden fence. We have a lovely row of various monkeys at the back, a perch full of parrots, ‘hanging’ toucans and a signpost pointing to the Bears and to the Cameleopards (the Victorian name for Giraffes). The public enter, and the Judge, Jury and those from the Public gallery must have decided to visit the zoo, because here they all are, albeit with slight adjustments to their apparel ie the men are now wearing bowler or trilby hats and the clerical robes have been replaced. As they gather beneath the signpost they discover Carboy, the apothecary, with a rope attached to the signpost and loosely hanging round his neck begging for someone to kick away the chair. Max Taylor was terrific in this role. His splendid singing voice was very much in evidence especially when he passionately portrayed the distress he was feeling whilst appraising the visitors of his reasons for his behaviour. When he literally threw himself over the fence into the ‘bear enclosure’, again trying to end his life, it was so funny and so well executed. He did return however, after finding there were in fact no bears in the pit! Laetitia Grinder, his secret lover, was delightfully portrayed by Anne Flint. Her singing of ‘Laetitia’s’ song was just stunning and the very high notes were so effortlessly accomplished. What a wonderful theatrical performance was portrayed by Stephen Chaytow as Thomas Brown, Eliza’s gentleman admirer. He has a splendid melodic singing voice and his antics, especially after he fainted, were hilarious aided by the differences of opinions put forward by the onlookers as to the best way to revive him. Eliza Smith was charmingly played by Rachel Callen and she so beautifully sang ‘I’m a Simple Little Child’. Rachel had been the waitress in the tea room at the Court and was now running the Food Stall at the zoo and was overcome when Thomas proposed to her. David Stokes was excellent as Mr. Grinder, Laetitia’s father. He definitely showed how angry he was with his disobedient daughter. After some negotiations, the two couples are finally reunited and we have a happy ending. The Ladies and Gentlemen of the Great British Public, Susan Devaney, Linda Hardy, Lesley Kraushaar, Pauline Revill, Anne Stokes, Chris Kraushaar, Albert Thomas and Ken Watson were all superb in both their gorgeous harmonious singing and their attentive reactions to the ‘goings on’ in both productions. The singing by the principals and by the chorus was just outstanding. The costumes were stunning and were supplied by Helen Kirk of Sanders Hirewear and from St. Peter’s G & S Society Ravenshead and the zoo animals were loaned by Oliver & Finley Holland and Andrew Blades. The lighting was fine and in the capable hands of Nic Wilson at the ‘Desk’. Many congratulations to Director Max Taylor, to Musical Director Melanie Gilbert, to Pianist Chris Flint and to everyone else involved in this production of such high standard performances and wonderful entertainment. My thanks also to David McKenzie and the Front of House Team for their very warm welcome.

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