[G&S lives in Canada too, though not much news leaks out these days. For a long time I thought Charles Hayter was batting a long and lonely wicket, but then I got some correspondence out of the blue from Adrian Willison, who had found one of the Pearl re-issues in a local shop and expressed an interest in keeping in touch. In what follows they will speak for themselves].

May 16 1978, Kingston, Canada. Dear Michael, At last I have waded out of the morass of papers, exams, tests and other end-of-term business to resume contact with the outside world once more. This past year has been thoroughly exhausting in every way. Nonetheless my wife and I did manage to indulge in other pursuits, and the end result will be appearing in the world sometime around August 21. The child has already been exposed to G&S and we expect it to emerge as a raving Savoyard. The last month has been filled with G&S and the following are some brief reports on what we've seen.

D'OYLY CARTE IN TORONTO. The company played for two weeks in the O'Keefe Centre, a mammoth auditorium quite unsuited to G&S. They presumably chose this house for box office purposes, but, particularly during the early part of their visit, the attendance was poor. At the opening night performance (Iolanthe) the house was less than half filled, we saw Iolanthe, Pinafore, Pirates & Ida. Of the four, Pirates was clearly the best show, with Iolanthe second, and the other two tied as last-place losers. The new production of Iolanthe was to me a big disappointment. It was only redeemed in the second act by the setting and the comic business between Sandford and Leonard. I found the new design for the first act interesting at first, the silver of the fairy costumes gives them great airiness and lightness - but I found that as the act wore on the predominance of silver and grey became thoroughly monotonous. Silver is a color that has to be used with great care on the stage, because it is apt to seem cold and metallic, no matter how it is lit. Aside from this, the overall design concept for Act One is wrong; the silver doily motif doesn't suggest anything of the pastoral world of Phyllis and Strephon. Gilbert is playing with pastoral conventions in this act, and one needs something of the greenness and warmth of the romantic pastoral vision to make it work. I didn't see a hint of the green world of nature anywhere, which is a serious deficiency when you consider the number of references made to it in the dialogue. In the area of characterization, Ayldon stands out: his Mountararat is in voice and bearing a superb Upper Class Twit. The best comic moments come from the Fairy Queen and Willis in the second act. John Reed gave a rather flat, weak performance, which took no account of the vast size of the theatre. There didn't seem to be such inventiveness in the area of staging, except for more of Heyland's now familiar "freezing" technique during "For riches and rank". The opening chorus was particularly static, and one would like more 'tripping' in the figurative sense. The champagne glasses in the second act are vulgar. I can't understand the rationale behind them: is it to make people think they are watching Lehar or Strauss?

Pinafore, the second show we saw, was terrible, primarily because of the undisciplined and unfocussed chorus, which seemed utterly and completely bored. I have seen DOC performances in which the chorus was crisp and controlled, why not this time? And why can't they at least give the impression that they're enjoying what they're doing? Lilley makes a very cold, restrained Josephine, but Reed was here right on as Sir Joseph. His timing was immaculate, and for the first time I felt as though I was watching an entirely spontaneous performance. Pirates was the best of the four; energetic, lively, well played. Has there been some new comic business introduced? This show contained the best-delivered dialogue. The scene between Fred, PK & Ruth at the beginning of Act 1 was superb, with Leonard bringing fresh meaning to her lines, and even I think attempting to introduce some sympathy for Ruth in her delivery of "I think I an a fine woman". This subtlety is perhaps a bit extreme, for if sympathy is created for Ruth here, then the ensuing scene seems terribly cruel. I would rather leave her as a grotesque. Conroy-Ward was marvelous as the M-G; and unless I am mistaken the whole opera has been freshened by some new costumes? Ida was dreadful. When, O when, are the DOC going to have this opera re-designed? The costumes and the set, both in concept and execution, are horrible. What is needed is a touch of realism, not fantasy, because this opera is so relevant today. Indeed there was louder laughter for this than any of the others combined. The "new" staging by Osborn is atrocious, and wouldn't be permitted on this side of the Atlantic by even the worst amateur group. Heyland's methods, by contrast, seem much better … A month ago we traveled to Ann Arbor to see the University of Michigan Gondoliers which ranks as the best amateur G&S I've seen. The most outstanding aspect was the choreography, which demonstrated what an added dimension is brought to these works if an imaginative choreographer is given free reign. Yours, CHARLES HAYTER.

Beaurepaire, Quebec 2 Jan 1978

Dear Sir, I am one of the world's largest Gilbert & Sullivan fans … one day I went to Montreal and saw two recordings on the Pearl label. One was Gem 137/8 (The Mikado, with Sir Henry Lytton and George Baker.) … I was excited to read your notes on all the celebrities, as I had no previous notes on these "old-timers". These are what urged me to write. Included in the write-up on Sir Henry Lytton was mention of a "Picture History of Gilbert & Sullivan" by Mander & Mitchinson. Is there any way possible of my obtaining a copy of such a book? Is there any bookstore in England who could send me the book, if its still in print? I'd love to see pictures of these old-time greats who will never, in my mind, be equaled. I find the old 78s have more spark and life in them than the new ones. The music, specially, just bubbles along at a great pace. It makes you feel like getting up and dancing. I find the 33s to be slower, & the patter songs to be inferior to the ones sung by George Baker, who, in my mind, is the greatest baritone to have ever lived. His whole personality came through in the voice. … I love to talk G&S and I find this difficult to achieve here in Canada and jump at a chance to discuss G&S with anybody ... Will be anxiously waiting a reply. Sincerely, ADRIAN WILLISON

Beaurepaire, Quebec 5 March 1978

Dear Michael, I received GILBERTIAN GOSSIP numbers 6,7 & 8 safely, and find them extremely interesting. They are packed full of information and very humorous comments on G&S, I was really taken with the comparison made by Selwyn Tillett on the two different Mikados. I myself have the two - the 36 on 78s and the 1926 version from Pearl. I don't agree with his statement about George Baker being too loud and pushy in the Madrigal, but I'd tend to agree with the rest of his comments. Of course in my mind, no one should criticize George Baker at all - there is absolutely no reason for it ... I did get a chance to write to Mr. Charles Hayter [whose address I'd given him] and he seemed interested in hearing from another fan. He gave me some very interesting info. on DOC … He says that the DOC will be in Canada at the end of the summer-probably Toronto. It's nice to get information like that because the Montreal papers print only info about things happening in Montreal … I'm really pleased to think I'm able to talk G&S with you in England, Hayter in Canada … a real international circle of people all sharing a common interest. Gilbert & Sullivan should be pleased someone is keeping their masterpieces alive … I was thinking that someone would probably have success in reviving His Excellency. It would be very popular with Gilbert fans, if they knew it existed. Sincerely, ADRIAN WILLISON.

Beaurepaire, Quebec 10 April 1978

Dear Michael … I was able to catch a performance of Yeomen of the Guard and am sending you a programme of it … I'll have to admit that Yeomen is not my favourite operetta but this performance really brought out its good points and I can really appreciate it now. The theme I got throughout the production is a very subtle satire of Grand Opera. I don't know if this is what Gilbert had in mind, but this is what I felt while watching it. Except it doesn't end as tragic as a typical Grand Opera. No one commits suicide ... Sincerely, Adrian.

Beaurepaire, Quebec 2 July 1978 Dear Michael, I've finally received The Art of the Savoyard; C.H. Workman G&S; and Pearl's recording of Princess Ida. They are all recordings a true G&S devotee cannot do without … Sincerely, ADRIAN.

THE GONDOLIERS Lakeshore L.O.inc., at John Rennie Theatre, Pointe Claire, Quebec. Feb. 28-March 4 1978.

The orchestra was terrible - the worst I've ever heard. They were too loud and drowned out the singers on quite a few occasions. Everybody talked through the overture. The stage setting was quite good although it did lack colour but the costumes made up for it. The roses the girls were carrying were fake, which doesn't go over too well with me, being in horticulture. Marco (Alistair McCulloch) had a fine voice (only falling down a bit in "Take a pair of sparkling eyes") but I found Giuseppe (Michael Ellis) to be on the weak side - of course I'm used to George Baker singing the part and have been spoilt. The Duke (Douglas Parkin) was well portrayed but was a little weak at times. Part of his libretto was changed which proved very humorous for an English Quebec audience. " ... a fortnight since the Separatist monarch and his cabinet were defeated in a referendum, and we are here to ascertain the whereabouts of your husband". I don't usually like G&S to be changed in any form but this was very good. You see, we have a separatist government who wants to make Quebec its own country and is planning a referendum to ask the people their opinion. Gianetta (Aline Blain) was really forcing her voice and playing to the gallery. When I saw the same soprano singing Patience she was superb - comparable to Mary Sansom (my favourite modern G&S soprano), but lately her voice has gone. By far the best performer was Don Alhambra (Leo Paul Rodrigue - genuinely Spanish). The whole production was not bad, but there was no dancing at all [What none? - in Gondoliers? Incredible. Ed.] I feel that dancing adds to the G&S mood. [This report was abridged.] ADRIAN WILLISON

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