Picnic/Oslo Meeting: On Sunday, August 24 at 2 PM, NEGASS will visit OSLO - not in Europe, but in Rhode Island (the Ocean State Light Opera) -- to see their production of PRINCESS IDA. [Call President Dick Freedman ASAP - see last page for numbers - to order tickets! Or email Shawn Kendrick <shwnkndrk@aol.com> or call the OSLO box office (401-331-6060) - to order on your own!] Then we'll carry our picnic baskets to Mrs. Shepherd's lovely home in Bristol, plop our hot-dogs on the grill, and enjoy our annual picnic meeting. (Bring desserts, salads and drinks to share, if you'd like, but bring your own main course.) Enjoy the use of the Shepherds' grills, not to mention their changing facilities, showers, and ocean, their trampoline, their swing set, and their lovely view. Listen while the Concord Hill Wind Ensemble serenades us with (mostly) G&S from the porch. Also bring your IOLANTHE score: As twilight sends us indoors, Eric Schwartz will accompany us in an impromptu sing-through. (Yes, you may picnic without seeing the show - or vice verse, if you prefer! - but please remember that the show starts at 2 PM, and don't plan to arrive at the picnic before 5 PM.)
HOW TO GET THERE: If you need a ride, or would like to share one, call Carl Weggel or Dick Freedman (see back page for contact information). OSLO performs at the Wheeler School Theater at the corner of Angell and Hope Streets in Providence, RI. Last year, Mike Bromberg sent Us the following "Foolproof Directions", which avoid the chaos and construction of Downtown Providence:
TO OSLO: Take I-95 S though Providence. Left exit 20 puts you on I-195 E. About a mile later, take exit 3 (Gano St.) and turn R at the end of the ramp. In the next ¾ mile, go through a blinker and two full lights, and turn L at the third full light onto Angell St. Go over the crest of the hill (four or five short blocks) and start looking for a parking space before the light at Hope St. The theater is ½ block past Hope, on the R. (Mike adds: Note that Gano is also a good way to get back on I-195 for the trip to the Shepherds'.)
THE NEXT LEG: TO MRS. SHEPHERDS' HOME: Go East on Angell St.. Turn R at the first stop light (Gano St.). Stay on Gano past 2 more stop lights and one blinking light to the entrance of Rt. 195 East, on your Left. Take Rt. 136 South. Just before the Mt. Hope Bridge on Rt. 136, there is a small street off to the Right, Low Lane. (If you find yourself paying the toll for the Mt. Hope Bridge, you've gone too far!) Take Low Lane, not because you're cheap, but because not far down Low Lane is the first of two entrances to Monkey Lane (it's a loop), and not far down Monkey Lane is the Shepherds' home. Park on the side of the Lane.
JUNE MEETING IN NEWTON: THE G&S STORY/ELECTIONS. The room was packed when I arrived shortly before 2 o'clock. Since almost none of those present were NEGASS members, I decided to start the film after minimal announcements, and hold the election meeting afterwards. By this time a number of NEGASS members were present, and we were able to hold an election.
I turned the meeting over to Carl Weggel, in the absence of the Vice President. He was no more successful than I had been in finding another candidate for President, so I was re-elected. I read off the slate, consisting of Carl for Treasurer, Mark Woodruff and Steve Levine for Program Chair [We hear it was suggested that the new title be "Program Couch"!], and incumbent Members at Large Don Smith and Sheldon Hochman for re-election. Again unable to find other volunteers, I received a vote by acclamation for the slate.
We discussed the purchase of a few copies of THE G&S STORY [This is a mistake in the printed Bray, corrected in the internet edition -- what we purchased is copies of a book, The Savoy Operas -- rnf] for door prizes, after their availability had been mentioned on the Internet. I reported some details I had been given by Don Smith, and we decided to proceed with the order.
I explained that the September meeting was as yet unplanned, and that we intended to invite Ric Wilson to honor us, but asked for suggestions in case his schedule would not permit him to join us. Future meeting plans were discussed, and the desirability of participatory meetings was strongly agreed upon. Fantasy nights, it was pointed out, require less advance coordination (with respect to rehearsals) than performing an operetta. I gave my opinion that the Last Minute Theater Company had been a success.
The strong turnout led to the idea, which I will pursue with the Newton Library's program chair, of our lending other G&S videos for weeknight showings, as well as further Sunday meetings. But we should make greater efforts to ensure that publicity includes NEGASS contact information. We agreed that greater efforts were needed for publicity in general, both in getting our ads in programs (and other listings) and in having our flyers or newsletters available at performances. We need, for as many productions as possible, to find a NEGASS member in the company to help with that. A volunteer to take charge of publicity would be welcome.
-- RICHARD FREEDMAN
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| Tentative Meeting Schedule, 1997: |
|---|
| Lots of excellent ideas for meetings have been suggested: A talk by G&S expert Ric Wilson; Fantasy Meetings, Last-Minute Light Opera and/or Last Minute Light Theatre Meetings; a rehearsed presentation of some or all of a German version of PATIENCE, or of Pulley of the Yard, a G&S-style piece which was enjoyed by sister society NYG&SS not long ago... not to mention another chance at the meeting comparing G&S and Broadway which many of us missed because of the storm last October... (AND, by the way, a couple of great ideas for Door Prizes have come up, including videos of The G&S Story and a bound edition of libretti of all the operas.) But We have not received a definite schedule for the year. When We do, We'll print it! --mlc |
~ NEXT BRAY COPY DEADLINE: ~
We have not received notification of the next meeting date
- and We're about to be hit by preparations for the Jewish High
Holy Days, which fall in early October this year, and for which
we lead a small vocal/instrumental ensemble. So - When We receive
news, We'll send out a post card! And when We receive sufficient
news, We'll declare a Copy Deadline and a Newsletter -- but at
this point, these may not occur until late October. Sorry for
the inconvenience! -- mlc.
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome We New Members Ann Jeffers-Brown of Cambridge; Bob Jervis and Linda Radke of Montpelier, VT; and Brad Krevor of Newton. Brad was a member of the BU Savoyards 1970-73, and of Falmouth Light Opera Co. for a year or two before that. No further news about Ann, Bob or Linda - but We hope they'll tell Us much more in the future! Hearty Greetings Offer We!
Charlie Hotchkiss writes: I have some sad news for The Trumpet Bray. Welles Hotchkiss passed away July 5, 1997. He first performed G&S in the 40's at Jonathan Edwards College at Yale University, where he performed in UTOPIA, LTD., and played Fiametta in GONDOLIERS. He became a member of NEGASS in the 70's, and performed often (frequently) with the Sudbury Savoyards. Singing with the Savoyards became a family tradition, as his children (Mark Hotchkiss and Wendy Carboneau), daughter-in-law elected (Charlie Evans Hotchkiss), and grandchildren (Beth and Rob Carboneau) have also performed with the group. While living in New Jersey, he was active with the Ridgewood G&S Society. [Wendy adds: Welles performed in every G&S Show except GRAND DUKE.]
He will be sorely missed.
And now, M'Luds, to the business of the day
(by all means!):
It's time to renew your membership!
The Board's decision several years ago to create extra categories of membership is still in effect - please bear in mind that the majority of our members are still "Yeomen," but that those who wish to contribute more to NEGASS have the opportunity to do so, in the following increments:
(On the other hand, if even the $15 basic membership is a problem, please talk to Membership Chair Bill Mahoney)
Part of the deal was that We would print a yearly list of Members Extraordinary - those who chose a category higher than Yeomen for the previous year. So here's the list of 1996-97 Extraordinary Memberships (Bow, bow, ye Lower Middle Classes):
Daughters of the Plow(How shall I express the all-absorbing gratitude - )
Whatever category suits you - please send the enclosed Renewal Form, with its attendant Questionnaire, to NEGASS, PO Box 367, Arlington, MA 02174 c/o Membership Chair Bill Mahoney, with what dispatch ye may! --- mlc
Former NEGASSer John C. Higby writes to SavoyNet: The North Kingstown (Rhode Island) Players will present IOLANTHE on November 15 and 16 of this year (the good Lord willing and the creek don't rise). Since I have been out of the loop for a number of years I am in need of some assistance. Particularly where to:
\\ AND MORE CD INFO: \\
Wallace Mason wrote last Bray about Intersound Inc.'s G&S CDs. Frank Behrens called to respond:
He has heard the CDs in question, and wants to warn us: they are not only noisy, but also seriously incomplete. And Don Smith wrote to add: For real releases your readers should look for issues on the Happy Days or Romophone labels. These are the real thing. Several are currently available and show up with great frequency at Tower Records. (Several of the Pearl re-issues are also available.)
Frank Behrens' G&S video series: THREE WITH SULLIVAN, TWO WITH GILBERT, ONE WITH NEITHER. To start: Okay, I misunderstood! Opera World is the prime, not the sole distributor of the G&S videos. Whew! So much for that!
The next two items in the series are really four-- a truly Gilbertian paradox. SORCERER is probably the second best in the series, the first being PATIENCE This most Victorian of all the Savoy works is played absolutely straight (as they all should be) by a cast headed by the excellent Clive Rebill. Except for making crockery fly around his tent, there is no clowning in his interpretation. He is simply a good businessman, complete with Army and Navy discounts, who strives to please his customer and cannot be blamed for the consequent foul-up. His silent cynicism at the tenor and soprano's odes to True Love is priceless.
Alexander Oliver and Nan Christie seem to the manor born, and a lot is gained from the presence of D'Oyly Carte veteran Donald Adams. My only quibble is an epilogue showing J. W. Wells in heaven, totally contradicting the text and the final special effect. Ma basta! A SORCERER to end all SORCERERs and a definite Grabbit!
The video including TRIAL and COX AND BOX actually is a triple treat. Since neither usually runs longer than 40 minute, there was time for a delightful prologue in which we see the main characters of TRIAL (including Edwin and his new girlfriend in bed!!!) getting ready for the events of the day, all to the complete score of Sullivan's Overture di Ballo. An utterly charming bonus.
Low-comic Frankie Herward, who I'm afraid ruins the PINAFORE entry with his unsteady lines and ad-libbing, is kept in check here. With no singing voice in the least, he is a funny judge; while Kate Flowers is a gold-digging Lolita of an Angelina, complete with lollipop and domineering mother.
The only mistake here is to show the bridesmaids already on stage and to ruin the effect of their entrance when Gilbert wanted it. The ad lib at the start of "A nice dilemma" might be worth stealing when a local group essays this gem.
The COX AND BOX is far more complete than either of the recordings on London offerings. Russell Smythe (Cox), John Fryatt (Box), and Tom Lawlor (Bouncer) skillfully execute all the takeoffs of grand opera. The action is opened up, as they say, to include the streets outside the twice-rented flat and even a tavern across the road for the gambling duet that is missing from the recordings.
As Ralph would say to Alice, A regular riot!
Take away the videos and you have a sound recording of a work that is known indirectly to G&S buffs in the same way that Spohr is: by name only. In 1845 an operetta by the name of Maritana was composed by an Irishman, William Vincent Wallace, to cash in on the success of Balfe's The Bohemian Girl (with its well-known out of context jewel "I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls").
Savoyards who read reference books may have run across mention of this work because the soprano is blindfolded and married to a man about to be executed. Nudge, nudge! Well, an excellent recording of the score (sans dialogue) has been issued by Marco Polo (8.223406-7). Given the lack of demands from the audiences then, there is nothing special about it harmonically or lyrically and of course it pales in the light of you-know-whom.
But it is just that four-squareness that makes it so charming, and it does deserve a place in your collection. Prionnsías Ó Duinn (a name worthy of the Bab Ballads conducts the RTE Concert Orchestra in a way that proves this minor gem still stageworthy.
To get the videos without leaving your home, you can dial 1-800-99-OPERA and Opera World will send them posthaste. [Or, you can visit Tower Records, as other readers have noted! - mlc] Should you have trouble getting the Maritana, try calling Naxos of America at 1-310-440-8130 and asking for Larry Vittes He is most helpful and will advise you well
-- FRANK BEHRENS
SULLIVAN SCORES AVAILABLE: Janice Dallas tells Us that Ralph MacPhail, Jr., the administrator of SavoyNet, recently sent this message to his list. And We are shamelessly reproducing it: I recently received a letter from Roger Harris, who under the imprint R. Clyce publishes the vocal score to THE ZOO and makes available orchestrations for that and other Sullivan operas.
Mr. Harris has a couple pages of information concerning his publications, but here's an overview:
Vocal scores and orchestral parts for all the above available for hire from:
R. CLYDEThis publisher also has available the following from Sullivan's compositions for sale (for prices, write to address above):
Ralph concludes: If you inquire, please state that you read all about it on SavoyNet.
MIKADO AT OSLO: NEGASSers planning to attend OSLO's PRINCESS IDA before our picnic can count on a talented performance, as usual. I very much enjoyed their MIKADO last week, even though there were some disappointments.
The Set Designer (Madolin Maxey) produced a simple set festooned with quite an attractive variety of rice-paper lanterns and numerous openings for exits and entrances. The men's chorus appeared in costumes that were interestingly different, yet similar enough to form a consistent whole. They cleverly acted out scenes which helped, at times, to convey what a soloist was singing. There's a fine line between helping and distracting, but I think they kept to the correct side of that line except for one brief period in "Our great Mikado, virtuous man."
Pooh-Bah (Michael Popowich) effectively portrayed his different characters by voice and manner. Yum-Yum (Mary Beth McGrath) and Nanki-Poo (Thomas Lehmkuhl) were well-matched and convincing together. I was a bit disappointed in Ko-Ko, who barely retreated as he implored Katisha to "Shrink not from me."
I was pleased that they did not try to distract us from the overture, which OSLO has done in the past. I found the Director's Notes rather bizarre. The first paragraph read: "In discovering the keys to a show like The Mikado, the director has to go a bit deeper than the obvious parody of 'English infatuation with things Japanese.' Sirs Gilbert and Sullivan saw clearly the veneer between art and nature, as in "Braid the Raven Hair." By using Japanese costume, make-up, and carefully plotted garden sets, they could demonstrate how humans in every culture put false - yet beautiful - faces on the very bad things that they are actually doing."
-- RICHARD FREEDMAN
CLOC YEOMEN: The College Light Opera Company rewarded my expectations with another wonderful performance of YEOMEN. The curtain opened on an unusual set, with the stage divided horizontally by the framework of a building, with the front walls indicated by a layer of scrim. Most of the action took place down-stage, in front of the scrim, but upstage left was apparently Phoebe's room, with spinning wheel; and upstage right was the Meryll living room, which housed various other scenes. It was very effective as far as the lighting was concerned, but a bit of "Alas! I waver to and fro" was not synchronized with the orchestra, and I had to wonder how well the singers could see and hear.
The setting included other unusual features: Wilfred's "office". For "Were I thy bride" and "Oh! a private buffoon" a table and hanging instrument rack were put into place temporarily by the stage crew. A stairway down from the main courtyard appeared during the first act finale, from which the headsman's block and eventually the headsman himself were raised. (Yeomen descended into the pit to fetch the prisoner, but ran back in from an upstage entrance to report his disappearance.)
Costuming was attractive and appropriate, including the jester's appearing in much nicer dress once he had been hired to his new position. It was glorious to hear the double chorus with sufficient voices on each part -- so many companies have to skimp.
When the yeomen were in formation, they were given what seemed to me pointless movements of tilting and straightening their halberds. I think leaving them to stand motionless at attention would have been better.
I liked the casual interaction between Leonard (Andy Biddy) and Phoebe (Amy Schneider). It felt very much like a brother and sister.
Point (Geno Carr) was very effective in explaining the humor in the First Citizen's paradox. He positioned himself in front of the First Citizen, took the latter's arms under his own, and used those arms in gesturing his explanation.
Just before sending Elsie (Reshma Shetty), blindfolded, off to get married, Sir Richard Cholmondeley (Gary Haase) took off a ring and handed it to Wilfred (Craig Spaner). I think that should have been left out, because of the scene later, when Wilfred complains about not knowing what they were up to, having stopped up his keyhole. "Now what could he have wanted with her? That's what puzzles me!"
Phoebe obtained the keys from the jailer with less physical affection than is customarily seen; his thumbscrew demonstration providing sufficient distraction all by itself.
The final scene showed Elsie clearly loving and sticking with Col. Fairfax (Brett Noorigian), but nevertheless extremely sympathetic to and trying very hard to console Jack Point; a very satisfying ending.
All the singers, without exception, were superb. I wish a little more trust had been placed in their acting, in presenting asides. Quite a few were done with a momentary dimming of lights and a spotlight on the actor or singer -- an unnecessary distraction and change of pace. -- RICHARD N. FREEDMAN
PUBLIC THEATRE'S PATIENCE. I have been a member of NEGASS for many years now and cannot recall ever seeing the Boston Public Theatre's annual G&S productions mentioned in the newsletter. This omission is a horrible oversight. I have been seeing G&S productions at the company's outdoor theatre, off Soldier's Field Road in Brighton, for ten years. The shows have been uniformly excellent. We should support this group by, at the very least, advising our members of its existence. [We can't let that pass! -- Alas, We have tried to gain information about their shows in time for newsletter deadlines - and every time, We fail! This year We actually found out (too late to publish) the audition dates, went to auditions and threw copies of the Bray around - but to no avail: The performance dates were not specified, and no news came Our way. We have learned, though, that Sheldon Brown - MITG&SP's recent Solicitor, not to mention their King Paramount -- is on the board of the Publick Theatre, and have urged him to pull strings to see that future information comes Our way in a timely fashion! -- mlc]
This year the company performed PATIENCE. It was a very good production. It was directed by a fellow named Bob Jolly, who in addition to directing, played Bunthorne. The program notes stated that Jolly had played the role ten years earlier in a production directed by John Reed! The show was traditionally set and staged in a Joseph Papp style: The show was played straight but with some Broadway tendencies. It didn't matter. It worked very well.
The overture was performed by two Roland synthesizer keyboards, to good effect. At times a set of hands would appear from backstage and play a triangle. The effect added the appropriate percussive touches and was very funny.
At the opening Bunthorne stood, wearing a toga-like costume and olive-branch crown, and posed for the love-sick maidens, who drew caricatures of him. Lady Jane (Monica Tosches) wore a bright orange toga and the headdress of a Roman general, which I didn't like. I suppose, though, that it was meant to project some notion of classicism. Patience (Sarah Reese) came out in a straw hat and braids, looking very much like the naive she was meant to be.
There were many enjoyable "touches" sprinkled thoughout which showed that the company had a good sense of G&S. All were very clever, and would be particularly appreciated by those with more than a casual interest in G&S. For instance: Colonel Calverly (William Gardiner) added a third verse to "If you want a receipt for that popular mystery" explaining how physically difficult it is to sing patter songs, and saying that the best a singer can do is to sing full out and hope the conductor can follow him. And in the second act, Grosvenor (Mark Light-Orr -- who, by the way, had a great voice) made his entrance reading from a book entitled "Bab Ballads."
The only changes I did not care for were in the texts of the poems recited by Bunthorne and Grosvenor. The changes were made for no apparent reason. Bunthorne replaced "Oh, Hollow! Hollow! Hollow!" with a poem about fruit seeds which I thought lacked the required pretension. I always saw Bunthorne as someone who makes a conscious effort to appear high-brow so that when he sings "Am I alone and unobserved" (confessing that he is a sham), we, as the, audience, are mildly surprised that he is actually self-aware and willing to admit it. The change to the poem left no effect of pretense. He was too obviously vapid. Grosvenor's poems were changed to something about shopping. They were as banal as the ones written by Gilbert, but not nearly as good.
The cast was uniformly excellent. All had very good voices, considerable acting talent and comic sense. Jolly, as Bunthorne, moved very well and incorporated a lot of physical mannerisms into his role. During ensemble numbers, all voices came across clearly and distinctly.
At the end, the cast performed "Hail, Poetry" as an encore. Unfortunately, the show's run ended in June, so anyone who was unaware of the Publick Theatre will have to wait until next year to see one of their G&S productions. -- DESPARD
The Royal Victorian Opera Company (Chuck Berney's group) held a Gala Concert of G&S selections, featuring NEGASS favorites Ginger Green, Carol Mastrodomenico, Jim Moylan and Charles Baad on 8/6 in Lincoln. Did anyone catch it? Review, anyone? -- mlc
John Morrison passed this on to the MITG&SP e-mail list, whence We glean it for NEGASS's enjoyment and delectation:
Sung by Max Delbruck to the tune of "When I Was a Lad," MIT Biology Follies of 1954
When I was a youth I wanted to be
A full professor of Biology
How I could become one it was hard to see
Since my IQ was only ninety-three.
Chorus: Since his IQ was only ninety-three
But I used opportunity so craftily
That now I am Professor of Biology.
I managed to obtain a Bachelor degree
Although it involved a great expense to me
I helped my acquaintances financially
And they wrote my assignments very brilliantly.
I cheated on exams so carefully
That I obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree.
During graduate school I happened to see
My professor at his balance working busily
On one side a thesis, on the other a weight
The pointer determining the writer's fate.
Once this information was revealed to me
It was nothing to obtain his Ph.D. degree.
I secured an appointment very easily
'Cause just before my interview I chanced to see
A young staff member of Biology
Putting stockroom sugar in his morning tea.
Because of my concern for economy
They made me an instructor in Biology.
My rise depended to a large degree
On unseating a man of great integrity
By careful observation, I observed a quirk
He pinched the lab technicians while they tried to work.
Pointing out that quirk enabled me
To succeed to Professor of Biology.
Chorus: So just make the most of opportunity
And you all may be Professor of Biology.
Janice Dallas gleaned this from SavoyNet: A cartoon in the UK weekly The Spectator showed a signer for the deaf expressing dismay as a person at a microphone says, "Next, I'd like to do, 'I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General'."
First Impressions of the Fourth International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival -- J. Donald Smith
American Venues: Berkeley, California, June 14-22, 1997; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 19-27, 1997.
Imagine a snow storm in Philadelphia at the end of July! Not outside - on stage. The highlight of the Festival so far (July 31) was the Derby PRINCESS IDA with its first act staging out of "Dr. Zhivago" or "War and Peace." The Imperial Army in appropriate uniforms, the courtiers in Russian furs and a well thought-out staging and pacing brought a different, but reasonable staging to an otherwise traditional IDA. The gorgeous Deborah Norman was Princess Ida, whose superb voice (Best Female Singer) and perfect comic timing (one didn't know that the "Women of Adamant" speech was so humorous until this performance) kept everyone on the edge of their seats. With the other prize-winning performances of Peter Barlow as King Gama, Margaret Ascomb as Lady Blanche and the award for Best Chorus, this is the show to beat (despite a rather weak trio of Cyril, Florian and Hilarion). In many ways, it is the equal of the Festival-winning Lamplighters IDA of 1995.
For the first time since the First Festival, I was not able to attend all of the days of this year's three-legged Festival, so I have been asked to provide impressions, rather than a day-by-day detailed account (and with a page limitation this time). Aided by "Dame Rumor" reporting what I did not see myself, I shall endeavor to provide the flavor of what took place in Berkeley and Philadelphia.
Memorable productions of THE ZOO by the Stanford Savoyards, TRIAL by the Chester County G&S Society and the Lamplighters SORCERER seem to be the other productions which have drawn the most (positive) comment. The Lamplighters SORCERER featured gorgeous 18th-century costumes, elaborate scenery and fantastic special effects, but when these are taken away, I was left with impression of a few great performers (Alexis and Aline) and not much else; in other words: "Where's the beef?" It was a Broadway or West End extravaganza.
The other amateur productions ranged from the strong (Binghampton YEOMEN - excellent cast marred by excruciatingly slow tempi; and Stanford GONDOLIERS - nice but the usual problems of a college company) to the decent (South Anglia PATIENCE - a nice performance but nothing special, a bit of a disappointment from last year's winners) to the ones with problems (GASPUMP ZOO - strong soloists but sloppy chorus, as one might expect from a pick-up group which had only 5 or 6 rehearsals; Montreal West UTOPIA - decent cast done in by poor direction, enjoyable but not one of which I would buy the video; Northern Savoyards PIRATES - soloists who have performed their roles so long in one way that they refused the imaginative direction created for them and creaked their way through.) None-the-less, every production had some merit and every amateur production but one received at least one award. (This year there are separate awards for each leg of the Festival for individual performers, not productions. There will be overall winners as well.)
The Festival Club venues left much to be desired in both locations. That in Berkeley was about four long blocks (up-hill) from the theatre in an old-fashioned auditorium with tables crowded in. Since it was never more that half full, removing some tables would have made more sense, but nothing could have changed the sterile atmosphere. Philadelphia was better - only one block from the theatre and hotel - but the configuration of the piano and 'stage' near the bar meant that the talking tended to drown out too much of the action. Stanford, Lamplighters and Derby gave very entertaining cabarets, but the pot-luck opera sing-throughs on other nights did not attract too much enthusiasm. [We are in receipt of a review by Tom Drucker of the SavoyNet Potluck SORCERER, which, while praising the performers, similarly described a noisy and uncongenial atmosphere. - mlc]
Ian Smith's (the Festival Director) new Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company performed MIKADO, PINAFORE and COX AND BOX. The company is a mixture of old-time D'Oyly Carte stars - Gillian Knight (magnificent as Katisha and Little Buttercup), Valerie Masterson (her first Festival appearances, Yum-Yum and Josephine), Kenneth Sanford (Captain Corcoran), Gareth Jones (the Bos'n, Pooh-Bah and Cox), Alistair Donkin (Sir Joseph Porter) and Michael Rayner (Dick Deadeye, the Mikado and Sergeant Bouncer), one star of the New D'Oyly Carte - Eric Roberts (Ko-Ko), and some new blood - Peter Mulloy (Pish-Tush), Janet Cowley (Cousin Hebe and Peep-Bo), Rebecca Knight (Pitti-Sing) and Adrian Martin (a disaster as Ralph Rackstraw and Nanki-Poo).
That last remark calls for some comment. Martin did not know his lines and seemed to upset everyone else with his drying and extrapolations. Only Gillian Knight (among the old-timers) gave the truly professional performance which the audience had paid higher prices to see. The only benefit of Martin's inability to learn his part was that he withdrew (or was withdrawn?) from Cox and Box and 82-year old Thomas Round stepped in on two days notice and gave a masterful performance in Berkeley (which he repeated in Philadelphia.) That the voice is not what it used to be is obvious, but he can still put over a role and some of his younger colleagues could stand to follow his example of professionalism.
Al Bergeret's New York G&S Players, a professional company, put on a superb PIRATES in Philadelphia - tight, fast-paced, colorful, the cast word perfect, and with some imaginative staging on top of a traditional production. While there were some things which were over the top (and unauthorized, as Mr. Bergeret stated during his Master Class the next morning), it is clear that it is this kind of G&S production which will win new converts to the cause, not the generally lackadaisical productions of the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company - very traditional with a few new ideas, slow tempi and, as mentioned, the sloppiness. (Most of the audience was clearly not attuned to the finer details, or didn't care; they enjoyed the productions and were very enthusiastic.)
But, if the new company is seriously going to be a 30-40 week touring company, then it is the younger performers (coached by the old-timers) who will do it. It will also obviously need a professional chorus: different choruses for each opera in Berkeley and in Philadelphia can not have helped the discipline. Yes, it was nice to see the former D'Oyly Carte stars in harness, particularly for those people who had never had the opportunity to see them, but, as the saying goes: "nostalgia isn't what it used to be."
The biggest disappointments clearly had to be the attendance. Berkeley was the wrong venue - the day-time activities drew some 20-30 attendees and a few were canceled when no one showed up; the attendance in the 2000-seat Zellerbach Theatre was poor except for the last few days. We learned while there that the San Francisco Bay Area does not tend to support repertory theatre nor does it go much during the week; it showed. The distances, the traffic and the ticket prices discouraged many who would have liked to attend more.
Philadelphia was somewhat better. The professional performances drew well but the amateur ones did not. The theatre was much more hospitable - 1000 seats and the Master Classes and other day-time activities (Tom Round's "Fifty Years in the Theatre," Janet Cowley's "Dear Jessie" - a one-woman show about Jessie Bond and others) were enjoyable and drew quite well. But the excitement which was present last year, at the first appearance of the Festival in the United States, was much reduced.
At the moment the fate of the Festival in the United States would appear to be in doubt. Ian Smith was quoted in a Philadelphia paper, when asked how it was going replied: Not as well as he had hoped, not as badly as he had feared. He is seeking some $100,000 in investments in order to bring the Festival back to Philadelphia next year (asking those in Philadelphia who convinced him to come back this year to "put their money where their mouth is.") If it does, he indicated to me that it would be earlier in the summer to give him and his staff time between the two parts of the festival.
One of the great pleasures I have found in attending the Festival for four years is in the friends I have made. There is something about Gilbert and Sullivan which attracts nice people (all right, there are a few exceptions.) Berkeley and Philadelphia were enjoyable from my point of view as an audience member and for the socializing, but there is nothing like Buxton! -- J. DONALD SMITH
Visit Valley Light Opera's new Web Site:
http://www-ims.oit.umass.edu/~dial129/vlo.
THE NEW ENGLAND GILBERT AND SULLIVAN SOCIETYPO Box 367, Arlington, MA 02174-0004 Send electronic contributions to our new e-mail address: negass@iname.comPresident RICHARD FREEDMAN: (617) 630-9525; e-mail: rnf@null.net Vice-President PATRICIA BREWER: (617) 323-3480 (617) 983-1635; e-mail 103042.1540@CompuServe.com Members at Large: NEGASS membership dues are $15 and up. Please send membership inquiries to Bill Mahoney C/O the above address. The NEGASS Web Page is located at |