No 37 -- Summer 1991 Edited by Michael Walters
It was very interesting to see two productions of this piece in successive weeks, and an opportunity not to be missed. Usually one waits years in between productions. However the TP production did not come within a mile of the YS. Although there was some good singing and some quaint cameo performances, dramatically this production did not hold as the YS had done. Gilbert (John Brolly) was a jolly, rather good–natured fellow. Sullivan (Ian Templeton) and D'Oyly Carte (William Christmas) delivered their lines competently, but none of the three were visually or characterisationally the least bit like the historic characters. I suppose it could be argued that this really doesn't matter, but I found it jarred. Grossmith (Glynn McKay) was a largeish man with a declamatory baritone – a singularly unconvincing piece of casting. The doubling distribution of the various small parts was quite different to YS, but this was a smaller company with fewer soloists. Gilbert and Sullivan sang in the chorus for the excerpts from the various operas, Sullivan singing the Foreman of the Jury and the Pirate King, for no very obvious dramatic reason (presumably he had the best voice for the music). Joe the narrator was merged with Mr. White the accompanist to become Joe White, – and he sang the Usher in Trial – again for no stated reason. (In YS, Joe had sung the Defendant, but the specific reason was given that Mr. [i.e. Walter] Fisher was indisposed).
In contrast to the YS production, where the excerpts were the least interesting part, here they were the most interesting, because basically the singing was good, but the acting dull. Len Thorpe, an elderly Jewish gent, contributed delightful idiosyncratic cameos as the Judge and Sir Joseph. He also played Willis and the Mikado, but I didn't stay for the second half.
MICHAEL WALTERS
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