No 5 -- June 1976 Edited by Michael Walters
ITALIAN STRAW HAT (i.e. HASTE TO THE WEDDING)
[The Northcott Theatre, Exeter, performed what they billed as Gilbert's version of "Italian Straw Hat" in January 1976. It was briefly mentioned in "The Times" but after noting it, and noting that I was also very busy, it slipped my mind again till Ian Bond wrote and urged me to come down to see it, which I did, passing the news on the Victor Golding also. Ian Bond attended two performances, I a third, and Victor a fourth. At my request Victor and Ian both sent longish reports on the production for inclusion, regrettably I have had to shorten both these considerably, while, I hope, retaining the important points.]
VICTOR GOLDING: Before this adaptation with music [Haste to the Wedding] Gilbert had made an earlier one, without music, entitled The Wedding March. It was an amalgam of these two pieces which was performed, with additional music by Offenbach arranged by the Musical Director, Martin Waddington. This version is in five acts, each a different scene, and the sets were absolutely splendid. The proscenium was dressed to look like a Victorian toy theatre, and a gentleman greatly added to the fun of the evening by appearing before the curtains to light and extinguish each footlight. The attractively costumed performance was bright, tuneful and sparkling throughout, with the three piece orchestra very much in the 1857 atmosphere of the piece. Outstanding in a generally excellent cast were Clifford Mollison's portrayal of the old and deaf wedding-guest Great-Uncle Bopaddy, and Judith Paris in a double role as Leonora and the aesthetic Marchioness of Market Harborough. Her scene where she mistakes Woodpecker for a celebrated Italian falsettist was a comic gem. Another double role was splendidly played by Basil Lord, first as Cripps the book-keeper and then as the peppery Major General Bunthunder. The irascible Maguire, always seen carrying a wilting myrtle in a plant pot, was well taken by Malcolm Mudie. The "wedding party", two bridesmaids and two young men, who acted as chorus, were highly amusing. Their constant popping up all over the place singing "Ring ye joybells long and loudly" was reminiscent of the Ruddigore bridesmaids.
The naming of the characters and much of the dialogue owed something to The Wedding March, while Haste to the Wedding music was used. The only numbers cut were Woodpecker's solos in the 1st and 4th Acts, but this may have been because Jeremy Arnold, who very competently took the part, had only just recovered from 'flu on the night I went. The opening duet, "Today at eleven", sung by Woodpecker's valet, Jackson (played by John Bickerstaff) and Patty, the next door maid (pertly taken by Lynda Rooke) had the original music replaced by the trio sung by the cousins in La Perichole. Some of the ensemble music was treated in a similar manner, but a few new numbers were added. These were a trio for Bapp, Woodpecker & Leonora, sung in the opening scene in Woodpecker's house, which was to the tune of General Boum's opening solo in The Grand Duchess, and a wedding party ensemble at the close of this scene; a solo for Maria and ensemble ending the next scene set in a milliner's shop; an excellent cross-purposes duet sung in the 3rd Act, the Marchioness' salon, between Woodpecker & the Marchioness; another solo in Act 4 from Maria in which she is joined by the Wedding Guests in night attire in Major-General Bunthunder's bedroom entitled "We're all at Sea". This scene ended with some knockabout farce, accompanied by the music from La Vie Parisienne associated with the Brazilian planter. A short solo and chorus was also added by a policeman with a cold in the head, sung in the last act. [Victor Golding played Woodpecker Tapping in a private performance of "Haste to the Wedding" given some years ago, before the Gilbert & Sullivan Society.]
IAN BOND: I made my first visit on 31st January and was delighted with the whole production. In the absence of a copy of The Wedding March, I have to assume that the passages of dialogue and the lyrics not shown in my copy of Haste to the Wedding were taken from the earlier script. The music has been admirably adapted by Martin Waddington from the works of Offenbach, and from Grossmith's score for Haste to the Wedding. Most of the musical numbers from the later work retain their original Grossmith settings while a couple, notably, "Today at eleven", the recit "Ah heavens, t'is Woodpecker", and part of the Act 3 finale (Act 5 in this production) use Offenbach music. I presume that these pieces like the additional lyrics throughout the work are from The Wedding March. Probably Gilbert specified certain melodies in the earlier work, as he did in The Princess, for instance. Full marks for an excellent production. John Bickerstaff was a patient and long-suffering Jackson, also a superb Duke of Deal. An excellent rendering of "O Butcher, O Baker". Lynda Rooke was excellent as Patty; she really threw herself into this part as she does into all her parts at the Northcott. Clifford Mollison was Uncle Bopaddy; and what a great performance this was. He managed to extract the maximum of humour from some of the slightest of situations; and oh that little dance in Act 3 and "Three- Blind Mice", on the piano with the right hand. "I'm learning the left hand next week." Jeremy Arnold was Woodpecker; well what can one say except that it was a performance of the highest order. Obviously Jeremy understands the Gilbertian style of acting very well. He managed to strike just the right balance between his frequent monologues and asides to the audience and his conversations with the other characters. His singing voice too, is very pleasant. Judith Paris; well, again, excellent. A beautiful portrayal of the agitated, swooning Leonora and later on a very earnest Marchioness of Market Harborough. Alan Gill gave a good fire and thunder performance as the enraged military admirer Captain Bapp. He turned up again as Basil, Bishop of Bayswater. A clownlike wig and purple nose in this scene made him look like one of the original illustrations for the "Bab Ballads". Malcolm Mudie was Mr. Maguire: congratulations on the Welsh accent which he managed to sustain throughout the evening. Maria was played by Helena Breck; another Welsh accent held throughout the whole evening.[Is this really so remarkable? MPW] Excellently played; Miss Breck managed to portray this Gilbertian bride as a rather sweet sickly stupid Welsh provincial; but not as stupid as you might think. Who was it that pointed out that if she was to be divorced from Woodpecker, she'd better "Take back all my presents, Pa-pa?". The incident with the pin was beautifully managed. In this version Foodle does not remove it, instead it is allowed to remain and Maria is told to "Jump around a bit and it will drop down." The rest of the Welsh party were all excellently played. … Last of the Welsh party was Poodle's school friend Lythin played by Jonathan Kiley. This was a marvellous characterisation. Lythin blinked stupidly through his glasses, twiddled the end of his coat tails [In fact he screwed the end up into a sort of tube and stroked it. I am convinced this was intended to be phallic. MPW.], and did some impossible things with a camera on a tripod that seemed to have a life of its own. But the real gem from Jonathan came in the third Act with his portrayal of Algenon Sopwith, an Oxford poet. This was a superb take off of Reginald Bunthorne: a blue rinsed wig, remarkable red lips, beauty spot and fixed smile. And the attitudes; "O art, we thank thee for this boon." Cripps the book-keeper, played by Basil Lord, caused much amusement in his constant references to his flannel undershirt, an article of clothing that he never managed to don as he spent most of the scene trying to evade the wedding party who followed him everywhere under the impression that he is the registrar! Mr. Lord also played the jealous husband Major-General Bunthunder and again managed to extract a great deal of humour from such things as a foot bath and some exceptionally tight boots. He also had an excellent duet with Woodpecker, "Ha ha, sly dog, ho ho". The production was excellently directed by Geoffrey Reeves and designed by Kit Surrey. The settings seemed to suit the piece very well indeed. These used very bold colours such as Crimson with Violet, Orange with Yellow and so on. They were some of the most effective sets I have seen. The beautiful costumes were designed by Meg Grealey, and the excellent and, at times, energetic choreography was by Lillian Arnold. All credit to Mr. Waddington and his mini-orchestra consisting of himself at the piano and also managing to play a tambourine and a xylophone, Miss Nicki Evans, clarinet and also triangle, Mr. Neil Harris, cello and cymbals. Despite all the doubling and tripling they gave a most polished performance. There is little one can say about the music except that it was eminently enjoyable. The styles of Offenbach and Grossmith seemed to mingle very well. Grossmith's music, while not possessing the magic of Sullivan did possess a magic all of its own. "Ring ye joybells", which pops up at intervals throughout the evening, was as enjoyable the fifth time as it was the first. Other particularly good numbers were, "By dreams of ample profit lured", "You offered to take me", "Bow to the Registrar", "Why were all making merry", and of course the excellent "Ha ha, sly dog, ho ho" which I have already mentioned.
FOGGERTY'S FAIRY
Rose Bruford College of Drama recently performed Foggerty's Fairy as reported in The Stage on May 27th 1976. I only regret that I knew nothing about it till this report appeared. S.C. reported: "Littered with Shakespearean ("so, for the nonce, farewell" et.al.) and cues for non-existent songs, Foggerty's Fairy does, nevertheless have its flashes (though infrequent) of familiar Gilbertian wit. Its overall zany logic is well served by a mock serious style of acting, of which in this production James Clarke, Lawrence Wade & Claudia Leaf proved masters ......." The companion piece was A.W. Pinero's The Times.
Web page created 19 February 1999