No 45 Autumn 1997 Edited by Michael Walters
This was the YS's third production of Iolanthe (see above). The advance blurb was distinctly misleading, promising a rather Bohemian look at the opera, but in fact, not only was it pretty conventional, it was one of the most boring Young Savoyard's productions I have seen. There was one set - Westminster, and to accomodate this Strephon was a painter rather than a shepherd, and Phyllis merely a ward of Court. There were four principal fairies; an extra one, Delia, took some of Celia's music and some of Fleta's lines, but although the programme supposedly gave the musical distribution in its list of numbers, this proved not to be reliable; no doubt alterations to the apportionments were made during rehearsal. So I can't recall exactly what bits Delia sang. It hardly mattered. Most of the singing was excruciating, clearly demonstrating that the Young Savoyards are going through a bad patch at the moment, and were low on numbers. There were only eight fairies (including the four principals) and eight peers (including Mountararat and Tolloller). The set (uncredited) was excellent, the costumes (made by the Society) were charming. The only performance of real merit was the Lord Chancellor (Anthony Harris) and even he had little idea of real character, but basically projected himself, and was not really the Lord Chancellor. He spent the whole of the first half of Act 2 - up until the Nightmare Song - lying on a park bench in a most uncomfortable looking position. Andrew Lumsden gave a soto vocé but pleasant rendering of Willis's Song. As I left I heard some old dears saying how wonderful it all was. Am I really hypercritical, I wondered, or is the average G&S-goer just plain dumb? As the biographies in the programme were the best thing in the show, I repeat them here:
DAVID ATKINS (Strephon) has been performing with the Savs for five years. The nearest he came to being accepted as an artist was entering a painting of Santa for a "Blue Peter" [For the benefit of non-British readers, this is long-running children's TV programme. Ed.] competition at age 11. Past performances include The Mikado, Yeomen of the Guard, and of course Pirates.
HAZEL WATTS (Phyllis) is usually introduced as the opera singing, rugby player who works on "Blue Peter". She's pretty handy with her sticky-back plastic - lucky she's props mistress then. Other roles include Pirates, Mikado and a dancing gorilla in Cabaret.
MIKE NEWMAN (Mountararat) has performed in lots of productions, Mikado and Yeomen of the Guard for starters. He also finds time to keep the Savs money, build sets and be a general factotum with the tea urn too.
SARA BARTOLOZZI (Fairy Queen) came up with the following witticism on being asked for her biography: "Don't be silly, I'm a lawyer, incapable of wit, my charisma and personality having been removed at law school". She plays a feisty young thing more than a match for any peer.
TONY COTTERILL (Tolloller) describes himself as an eccentric. This means that he watches Star Trek avidly and has every known James Kirk body-suit. He has performed in many shows with many different societies. He also has a guinea-pig apparently.
PAM CHATAL (Celia) usually gets to sew interesting things onto costumes. She has branched out into a principal role, which gives her hands a rest. She previously played Inspector Cagney in Dick Whittington.
TONY HARRIS (Chancellor) was born in Wales for some reason he can't quite remember. He is to close harmony singing what the Queen Mother is to Japanese wrestling. He just adores G&S even though he does do other shows with a musical content. He prefers the comic baritone parts as he says he can't sing properly. He lives in East Sussex with a cat and two hamsters.
YVONNE SHOOTER (Leila) performed for the first time in Dick Whittington, where she strutted her stuff as Queen Camilla. This is her first major role with the Savs and she aims to please you with this performance.
ANDREW LUMSDEN (Willis) first played Private Willis nine years ago with St. Mary's Light Opera and is very pleased to be doing the part again. His first show with Savs was Orpheus in the Underworld. He has been in the Savs shows bar two since.
EILEEN CROCKETT (Iolanthe) has been with Savs since antiquity but this is her first principal role. She specialises in acrobatic skills, juggling passably well and cartwheeling on demand.
LUCY FFINCH (Delia) may look demure, but under that exterior lies the makings of a Tawer tart in Yeomen. She can party with the best of them and likes Tenerife with all its handsome beach life.
PASCALE ATKINS (Fleta) has performed extensively. Her previous claim to fame was eating a mountain of sausage rolls as Mrs. Partlett in The Sorcerer. She now brings her talent to her latest role, the mighty Fleta.
MICHAEL WALTERS
Web page created 25 July 1998