Gilbert and Sullivan Archive

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William and Lucy Turner Gilbert, 1867

W. S. Gilbert wrote many stage works besides the libretti of the operas written in collaboration with Arthur Sullivan. This page aims to provide a complete list of Gilbert's stage works in chronological order. The Gilbert and Sullivan operas have been included to show their place in the chronology of Gilbert's works.

The resources available on the Archive are indicated by these icons:
Notes Background Notes | Plot Summary Summary of the Plot | Script Script or Libretto | MIDI Files MIDI Files | Vocal Score

The Early Years
1863, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870
The Gilbert & Sullivan Years
1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1881,
1882, 1884, 1885, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1896
The Post G & S Years
1897, 1904, 1909, 1911

1863

Uncle Baby
One-act comedietta — Lyceum Theatre (31  October )

1866

Hush-a-Bye Baby, on the Tree Top or Harlequin Fortunia, King Frog of Frog Island,
   and the Magic Toys of Lowther Arcade
Christmas pantomime, by Charles Millward with anonymous contributions by Gilbert — Astley's Theatre (26 December)
Dulcamara, or The Little Duck and the Great Quack Script
Play — a burlesque of Donizetti's L'Elsir d'Amore — St. James's Theatre (29 December )
Ruy Blas Script
Burlesque — unperformed — published in Warne's Christmas Annual

1867

La Vivandière or True to the Corps Script
Extravaganza — a parody of The Daughter of the Regiment — St. James's Hall, Liverpool (15 June)
   Script: Word Document [152 KB], PDF File [180KB]
Review of the London Production (New Queen's Theatre, 22nd January 1868).
Robinson Crusoe or The Injun Bride and the Injured Wife
Burlesque, written with H. J. Byron, Thomas Hood, H. S. Leigh and Arthur Sketchley — Haymarket Theatre (6 July)
Allow Me To Explain Plot Summary Script
One-act farce — Prince of Wales's Theatre (4 November)
Highly Improbable
One-act farce — Royalty Theatre (5 December)
Harlequin Cock-Robin and Jenny Wren; or, Fortunatus and the Water of Life, the Three Bears, the Three Gifts, the Three Wishes, and the Little Man who Woo'd the Little Maid Script
Christmas pantomime — Lyceum Theatre (26 December)
  Script: Word Document [124KB], PDF File [232KB]
Review of the Production
A Colossal Idea Script 
One-act farce, unperformed, published 1932
     Script: Word Document [72KB], PDF File [76KB]

The Merry Zingara or The Tipsy Gipsy and the Pipsy Wipsy Script
Extravaganza — Royalty Theatre (21 March)
   Script: Word Document [164KB], PDF File [176KB]
Review of the Production from The Times.
Robert the Devil or The Nun, the Dun, and the Son of a Gun Script
A version of Meyerbeer's opera Robert Le Diable — Gaiety Theatre (21 December)
     Script: Word Document [120KB], PDF File [156KB]
     Link to a web site describing this opera parody.

No Cards Notes Script
One-act musical entertainment, with music by Thomas German-Reed (and Lionel Elliott?) — Royal Gallery of Illustration (29 March)
The Pretty Druidess or The Mother, the Maid, and the Mistletoe Bough Script
Extravaganza — Charing Cross Theatre (19 June)
  Script: Word Document [120KB], PDF File [152KB]
Review of the opening night of the Charing Cross Theatre from The Times.
An Old Score Script
Three-act comedy — Gaiety Theatre (26 July) — revived 11 Nov. 1872, at Court Theatre as Quits.     
   Script supplied by Arthur Robinson [PDF, 3.2Mb]
Review of the production at the Gaiety Theatre from The Times,
Ages Ago Notes Plot Summary Script MIDI Files
One-act musical entertainment, with music by Frederic Clay — Royal Gallery of Illustration (22 November)

1870

The Princess Notes Script
Blank-verse parody of Tennyson's poem in five scenes. — Olympic Theatre (8 January)
The Gentleman in Black Script
Two-act musical play, with music by Frederic Clay — Charing Cross Theatre (26 May)
Our Island Home Script
One-act musical entertainment, with music by Thomas German Reed — Royal Gallery of Illustration (20 June)
     Libretto, prepared for the Archive by Andrew Beighton, with missing lyrics added by Andrew Crowther [Word File]
The Palace of Truth Plot Summary Script
Play — a fairy comedy in three acts — Haymarket Theatre (19 November)

1871

Randall's Thumb Script
Comedy — Royal Court Theatre (25 January)
A Sensation Novel Plot Summary Script MIDI Files
Musical entertainment — Royal Gallery of Illustration (30 January)
Creatures of Impulse Notes Script
A Musical Fairy Tale in One Act, with music by Alberto Randegger. — Royal Court Theatre (2 April)
Great Expectations Script
Play — after Dickens — Court Theatre (29 May)
On Guard Script
Comedy (28 October)
Pygmalion and Galatea Script
Comedy — Haymarket Theatre (9 December) 
Les Brigands
Adaptation of Meillac & Halévy's libretto of Offenbach's operetta. Avenue Theatre, 16 September 1889.
Gilbert & Sullivan Thespis
Christmas Entertainment with music by Sullivan — Gaiety Theatre (26 December)

1872

A Medical Man Script
One-act farce, published in Clement Scott's Drawing-Room Plays (1870), performed St. George's Hall, 24 Oct. 1872. 
                Play Script donated to the Archive by Ethan Enoch Hardy. [Word Document (56KB)] [PDF File (104 KB)]  
Happy Arcadia Script
Play, with music by Frederic Clay — Royal Gallery of Illustration (28 October)
     Play Script donated to the Archive by Tyson Vick: Word Document [110K] PDF File [114K]
Quits
New Version of An Old Score — Court Theatre, (11 November)
  Review of the production form The Times.

1873

The Wicked World Notes Plot Summary Script
Fairy comedy — Haymarket Theatre (4 January)
The Happy Land Notes Plot Summary Script
Pseudonymous extravaganza — Court Theatre (3 March)
The Realm of Joy Notes Plot Summary
One-act farce (written as F. Latour Tomline), freely adapted from Le Roi Candaule by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halevy, title changed after a few nights to The Realms of Joy — Royalty Theatre (28 October)
The Wedding March Script
Three-act farce, written as F. Latour Tomline, translated from Un Chapeau du Paille D'Italie by Eugene Labiche — Court Theatre (15 November)
 

Script (transcribed from Samuel French Edition) [PDF, 125Kb]
Review of the original production from The Times.
Review of a revival in 1878 from The Times

1874

Charity Plot Summary Script
Four act drama — Haymarket Theatre (3 January)
Ought We to Visit Her?
Three act drama, adapted from the novel by Mrs. Annie Edwardes — Royalty Theatre (17 January)
  Script available from David Trutt's site. [PDF File ( 531KB)]
Review of the production form The Times.
Committed for Trial Plot Summary
Two-act farce, translated from Le Réveillon by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halevy — Globe Theatre (24 January)
The Blue-Legged Lady
One-act farce, no author named, translated from La Dame aux Jambes d'Azur by Eugene Labiche and Marc-Michel — Court Theatre (4 March)
Topsyturveydom Script
One-act extravaganza, with music by Alfred Cellier — Criterion Theatre (21 March)
  Libretto, available in Rich Text (opens with most Word Processors), or PDF formats. Submitted to the Archive by Andrew Crowther.
Review of the production form The Times.
Sweethearts Notes Plot Summary Script
Two-act comedy — Prince of Wales's Theatre (7 November)

1875

Gilbert & Sullivan Trial by Jury
"Dramatic Cantata" with music by Sullivan — Royalty Theatre (25 March)
Tom Cobb or, Fortune's Toy Plot Summary Script
Three-act farce — St. James's Theatre (24 April)
Eyes and No Eyes or, The Art of Seeing Notes Plot Summary Script MIDI Files Vocal Score
One-act musical entertainment, with music by German Reed — St. George's Hall (5 July)
Broken Hearts Notes Script MIDI Files Vocal Score
Three-act verse drama — Court Theatre (9 December)

1876

Princess Toto Plot Summary Script MIDI Files
Three-act comic opera with music by Frederic Clay — Nottingham Theatre (24 June)
Dan'l Druce, Blacksmith Notes Script
Three-act drama — Haymarket Theatre (11 September)

1877

On Bail Script
Three-act farce (an adaptation of "Le Réveillon") — Criterion Theatre (3 February)
  Script, available as a Word Document [184KB] and PDF File [212KB] thanks to Adam Cuerden and Anthony Porter.
Review of the production form The Times.
Engaged Notes Script
Three-act farcical comedy — Haymarket Theatre (3 October)
Gilbert & Sullivan The Sorcerer
Two-act comic opera, with music by Sullivan — Opèra Comique (17 November)

1878

(Ali Baba and) The Forty Thieves
Pantomime-burlesque, written with Robert Reece, F. C. Burnand, and H. J. Byron, — Gaiety Theatre one performance (13 February)
The Ne'er-Do-Weel Plot Summary Notes Script
(rewritten and restaged three weeks later as The Vagabond) — three-act drama — Olympic Theatre (25 February)
Gilbert & Sullivan H.M.S. Pinafore
Two-act comic opera, with music by Sullivan — Opèra Comique (25 May)

1879

Gretchen Script
Four-act verse tragedy — Olympic Theatre (24 March)
Gilbert considered this play, his version of the Faust legend, and Broken Hearts to be his two best plays.
Lord Mayor's Day
Three-act anonymous farce, translated from La Cagnotte by Eugene Labiche. Gilbert translated the first two acts before abandoning the project, and when it was produced his name did not appear — Folly Theatre (1 July)
Gilbert & Sullivan The Pirates of Penzance
Two-act comic opera, with music by Sullivan — Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York (31 December)

1881

Gilbert & Sullivan Patience
Two-act comic opera, with music by Sullivan — Opèra Comique (23 April)
Foggerty's Fairy Notes Plot Summary Script
Three-act fairy comedy — Criterion Theatre (15 December)

1882

Gilbert & Sullivan Iolanthe
Two-act comic opera, with music by Sullivan — Savoy Theatre (25 November)

1884

Gilbert & Sullivan Princess Ida
Three-act comic opera, with music by Sullivan — Savoy Theatre (5 January)
Comedy and Tragedy Script
One-act drama — Lyceum Theatre (26 January)

1885

Gilbert & Sullivan The Mikado
Two-act comic opera, with music by Sullivan — Savoy Theatre (14 March)

1887

Gilbert & Sullivan Ruddigore
Two-act comic opera, with music by Sullivan — Savoy Theatre (22 January)

1888

Gilbert & Sullivan The Yeomen of the Guard
Two-act comic opera, with music by Sullivan — Savoy Theatre (3 October)
Brantinghame Hall Script
Four-act drama (November 29) — St James's Theatre

1889

Gilbert & Sullivan The Gondoliers
Two-act comic opera, with music by Sullivan — Savoy Theatre (7 December)

1891

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Notes Plot Summary Script
Burlesque in Three Short "Tableaux", (originally published in Fun, December 1884) — Vaudeville Theatre (3 June)

1892

The Mountebanks Notes Plot Summary Script MIDI Files
Two-act comic opera, with music by Alfred Cellier — Lyric Theatre (4 January)
Haste to the Wedding Notes Plot Summary Script
Three-act comic opera, with music by George Grossmith, a musical version of The Wedding March — Criterion Theatre (27 July)

1893

Gilbert & Sullivan Utopia, Limited
Two-act comic opera, with music by Sullivan — Savoy Theatre (7 October)

1894

His Excellency Notes Plot Summary Script MIDI Files
Two-act comic opera, with music by Osmond Carr — Lyric Theatre (27 October)

1896

Gilbert & Sullivan The Grand Duke
Two-act comic opera, with music by Sullivan — Savoy Theatre (7 March)

1897

The Fortune Hunter Script
Three-act drama — Theatre Royal, Birmingham (27 September)

1904

The Fairy's Dilemma Script
Two-act domestic pantomime. — Garrick Theatre (3 May )

1909

Fallen Fairies or, The Wicked World Notes Script MIDI Files
Two-act comic opera, with music by Edward German. A musical version of The Wicked World. — Savoy Theatre (15 December)

1911

The Hooligan Notes Script
One-act drama — Coliseum Theatre (27 February)
Trying a Dramatist
One-act sketch. Published in Original Plays, Fourth Series (1911). Performance details not known.

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Page modified 11 July 2015