TRIAL AT THE ACADEMY

The Royal Academy of Music presented Trial by Jury in a triple bill to mark the opening of its new theatre on Wednesday 26th October 1977. The companion pieces were excerpts from Purcell's Fairy Queen and a new opera Tobermory by John Gardner. I was unable to go. Stanley Sadie reported in THE TIMES:-

Steuart Bedford conducted confidently and sensitively … in Trial by Jury given in a newly authentic version by Arthur Jacobs and done in a modern setting, with a jury of both sexes, and a relaxed bejeaned, guitar-playing Defendant (Keith Hoare) standing out from the formal suited jurors. Anna Sweeney's production had plenty of life and made good use of the well-sized stage; and Richard Suart's Judge was distinguished for neat comic timing and dry delivery.

MICHAEL WALTERS

TRIAL BY JURY, Royal Academy of Music, The Sir Jack Lyons Theatre.

I counted it a privilege to be present at one of the four presentations with which The Royal Academy inaugurated the Sir Jack Lyons Theatre, in the period 26th October - 1st November 1977. There were three works in each of the inaugural presentations - Act IV of the Fairy Queen (Purcell), Tobermory, a new work by John Gardner, and Trial by Jury as an afterpiece as it had been on its debut in 1875. This notice is mostly concerned with the performance of Trial by Jury in the new arena of the composer's alma mater. With 41 players, the orchestra was almost twice the size that Sullivan contemplated but their product was entirely satisfying in spite of the spatial restrictions of the new theatre. The tempi were more elastic than one had heard over the years: the 24-bar introduction was accorded a true allegro vivace but the conductor allowed the vocalists an appreciably easier pace on their entry. As for "A nice dilemma" I have never heard it better sung - appreciably slower than normal but entirely in compliance with the composer's marking, "Andante sostenuto". The conductor, Mr. Steuart Bedford, earns our sincere thanks for his achievements and for demonstrating that Sullivan's trickiest numbers are musical, truly singable and can be greatly rewarding for performers and audience alike. Of the dramatic presentation, I cannot speak so favourably. Producers who overthrow Gilbert's directions (e.g. "The Judge's desk, centre, with canopy overhead") do so at their peril. The Academy's producer went further, she contrived to transfer the civil action, Angelina v Edwin, to the criminal courts and had Edwin escorted by a (modern) policeman and policewoman to the dock! She allowed the Judge from time to time to forsake the bench and cavort clumsily in the well of the Court and both defendant (who left the dock untrammelled! for this purpose) and Counsel delivered their moving speeches to the Jurymen (and women) while those stalwarts could only gaze upon the backs of the two characters who were supposedly to be addressing them! HUGH TIERNEY [This report was abridged. Ed.]

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