No 37 -- Summer 1991 Edited by Michael Walters
Which would you prefer – a Marco and Giuseppe pair who had partnered each other in the same roles twelve years previously and looked as if it could have been twenty–four, or a Patience who was hardly out of infant school when those gondoliers were last gondoliering but whose youthful freshness and prettiness were her only assets? In Aberdeen, a week with two G&S productions is indeed a phenomenon: what a pity this particular criticism suggested itself so strongly.
That said, there was no other comparison between the productions. AUGSS launched itself with an abysmal Iolanthe [see GG no. 7, p. 1–2], had graduated five or so years later to a merely poor Mikado, and after a similar interval has now produced a quite passable Patience: though I've seen it done a lot better by a secondary school. The MD (Angela Young) knew her job, and the orchestral playing was perfectly adequate. On the stage, once you eliminated the Duke (David Parratt – who acted with a good sense of comedy but sang inaudibly) Lady Saphir (Dianne Haldane, a total nonentity) and Lady Ella (Roz Cuschieri, whose voice was breaking even more disastrously than her heart), the rest ranged from all right to good. Anna Lambert (Jane), an experienced little actress, was the best, even though she suggested a stern schoolmistress rather than an ageing rapturous maiden. "Little" is the appropriate word: physically she was more suited to Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream, which she had played three weeks previously, than to an Alice Barnett part. But she was thoroughly at ease in the role, and had a pleasant voice. Sandy Horsburgh, though physically and vocally a much more lightweight Colonel than we usually see, also brought a well–drilled precision to the part. With the aforementioned Duke and the big, bluff Major of Ian Nicol, the aesthetic trio scene was the high point of the show: nicely timed movements, and costumes and actions which were extravagant without being grotesque. The striking physical contrast between the three – a short, stocky Duke; a tall, slender Colonel, and a big, hefty Major – helped a lot; though to their credit they never let the scene degenerate into slapstick. The dancing in the quintet was creditable too; and the attractive, red–haired Angela (Petra MacLeod), apart from Jane the best of the women, added quite a bit of charm.
Bunthorne (Anthony Millar) and Grosvenor (David Blackburn) were distinguishable only by the fact that Bunthorne was much the better actor: a serious fault was that no attempt was made to contrast the characters, both playing in the same languid, mimsy style: Bunthorne would have made a pretty good Grosvenor, but there was absolutely nothing highly–spiced about him. Patience (Katherine Smith) knew her lines and had quite a nice voice; Gordon Christie was a striking cocky, bustling Solicitor.
This Patience made an enjoyable evening, but not in the same street with AOC's Gondoliers: this seasoned bunch can always be relied on for smart, colourful productions in which the obvious camaraderie of the cast conveys itself delightfully to the audience. In the opening number, unexpectedly the only roses on the stage were on barrows attended by two hooded and black–garbed women: what the ladies of the chorus were doing was passing from one to another, in intricate formations, sheets of alternately red and white linen. This must have taken careful rehearsing, and made for a beautiful effect. Other pictorial set–pieces were the Act 2 opening, with a lofty throne surmounting a precipitous flight of steps on which the courtiers were arranged in tiers, and the chorus "With ducal pomp and ducal pride", in which the men, under the direction of a fussy figure with a conductor's baton and equipped with enormous music sheets which tenors and basses raised and lowered alternately, performed with a military precision which disintegrated in fury as the Duke flounced past unimpressed.
Gordon Strachan and Archie Mitchell made a fine pair – a vigorous, firm Marco and a cheery, exuberant Giuseppe. Both are well past the first flush of youth, but they are thoroughly experienced and efficient performers; and Gordon's "Take a pair of sparkling eyes" was one that I wouldn't mind waiting another twelve years to hear again. Gianetta and Tessa (Liz Nisbet and Ilona Strachan – the wife swap was humorously alluded to in the programme) partnered them well, playing for comedy rather than romance.
I have seen better Ducal parties. The Duke (Ian Thomson) was sufficiently pompous and fussy, but seemed to be going through the motions with a lack of conviction, as if painfully aware that the ghosts of Passmore, Lytton, Green, Pratt and Reed [to name but a few? MPW] were sitting in judgement on his performance. The Duchess (Isabell Gill) had a fine strong voice but acted without much subtlety. Verna Ward is a good comedy actress, but Casilda (unlike Gianetta and Tessa) MUST be played romantically, and that she couldn't do really satisfactorily. Luiz (Doug Smith) played his not very promising part with an unobtrusive confidence. He is a new member of the company, but I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more of him. The Duke and Duchess's duet was rewritten with some clever local and topical allusions.
The most impressive figure was Brian MacDonald (Don Alhambra). Described as a "baddie" in the programme, he certainly looked it with his heavy eyebrows, mouth–encircling line of moustache and beard, and elaborately funereal attire, and his sly, sneering, sinister manner was very well maintained. He brought out the best in the Duke, whom he threw into a state of entertaining nerves.
If the Patience was better than I thought it would be, The Gondoliers was perhaps not quite as good – but only because AOC has set itself a very high standard. Thanks to both for a double refreshment in G&S–starved Aberdeen.
DERRICK McCLURE
Web page created 12 September 1998