No 41 -- Spring 1994 Edited by Michael Walters
After a break of six years and to celebrate European City of Culture, this Society returned to its tradition of presenting a two-week season of Gilbert and Sullivan in November. The first innovation was to have an extra scene between two customers and a cafe owner in which the two men ordered a drink, did not get what they had ordered, and threatened to wreck the joint. In the end they made off with two prostitutes. This took place during the overture which broke after the opening section. All conversation was in Italian with an interpreter translating (incorrectly) into English. Thus for "Basta!" we had: "Were your parents ever formally introduced?". The overture continued with "When a merry maiden marries" during which eight dancers danced. For "I am a courtier" an old drunk tried to strike a match, unsuccessfully, and went off with a prostitute. There was no break between the overture and the opening chorus.
The action was updated to the 1950s. This meant that the Society was able to borrow costumes from GREASE. The men's chorus consisted of an assorted range of individuals from window cleaners and interior decorators to a member of the police force and a rock star with long hair. There were only two gondoliers among them, and not a gondola in sight! Marco (Declan Kelly) and Giuseppe (John Mooney) came straight from GREASE. Both Gianetta (Aisling Green) and Tessa (Sandra Kelly) sang well. The Ducal party appeared anything but penniless. The Duke (Pat Campbell) was a well-off businessman who came to Venice as a matter of course. The (very young) Duchess (Barbara Graham) sporting a black and white ensemble was domineering, but unfortunately did not have the required vocal power. Casilda (Fiona McAndrew) in dark blue and bright yellow sang beautifully but spoke her lines without conviction. Don Alhambra (Adam Lawlor) had come to Venice from Chicago via Sicily - an Al Capone character. His two emissaries kept popping up all over the place and tested out their bugging devices during the Ducal Party's conversation. At the end of the quintette they kidnapped Luiz (Donal Byrne).
The only way of knowing that the action took place in the Piazetta was a very nicely painted backdrop with a view of the Isola S.Giorgio Maggiore and the waters of the Grand Canal shimmering beneath. The set for Act One was, in all other respects, similar to John Stoddart's for the 1968 DOC production, except that the floor covering was grey rather than tan, and not raked. There was no indication in the programme as to the synopsis of scenes or the time of the action of the play. The pavilion in the palace of Barataria was a south sea island (Utopia?) complete with palm trees and dancing girls. All the men, including the kings, were dressed in beach wear. There wasn't a throne or crown in sight. We were given a truncated version of "Of happiness the very pith" and "Rising early". Annibale was cut and Gilbert's text jettisoned until after the entrance of the girls from Venice. The gondoliers didn't miss their girls a bit, whatever Marco may have said. The only time the thing approached anything like dignity was when the Ducal Party arrived in Act 2. Then the court appeared in all its regalia (the men's chorus had to change costumes three times in Act 2) and the Ducal Party wore evening dress. Instead of a stately gavotte, the Duke, accompanied by five young ladies, danced a in turn a tango, cha-cha-cha, boogie woogie, rock & roll and can can in time with the music. [The mind boggles. Ed.] Inez (Ursula Hough) was a femme fatale.
There were many liberties taken with the libretto, giving the impression that the actors and/or director did not understand the piece. There were several references to topical Irish politics. An enjoyable evening, but Gilbert's joke about monarchy v. republicanism was lost. Musically the standard was excellent. It was good to see such a young cast and chorus. The Society was founded in 1913 and has presented a show every year since.
DAVID SKELLY
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