Sunday 20 October 2019

Iolanthe Review


A lovely review of Iolanthe from our NODA Rep, Nova Horley:
"I think of all the G&S shows, this is the most charming, and this production lived up to expectations."
"The costumes were beautiful, very colourful, I don’t think I’ve seen such bright fairies before, really lovely, and the Peers robes were also colourful, pristine and very regal.  I loved the Lord Chancellor’s wig, his black and gold robe was stunning.  The Fairy Queen looked regal, but again so colourful, the best costume I have seen for this part."
"All in all a very good production, good performances, lots of different takes on the characters, I thoroughly enjoyed the evening."
Read the full review here.


Tuesday 15 October 2019

Show Launch!


One show is done and dusted but there is always another! Our Trial by Jury & The Sorcerer Double Bill launch night is on Tue 22nd Oct at 7.45, Streatley Village Hall (location details here). Our two Directors, Graham Breeze (Trial) and Richard Fraser (Sorcerer) will give us their vision for the shows and Musical Director, Stuart Elliott, will give us a taste of the music.

Graham has produced many shows for us, including this year's updated and highly successful Grand Duke and our 2018 Gondoliers, which took the Harrogate Festival Fringe by storm. Richard gave us our wonderful (and very memorable!) Essex Girls Pirates. We can't wait to see what they both come up with for this one! Stuart conducted our 2015 concert, Best of All Musical Worlds, and we are thrilled that he will now be doing a whole show with us.

Audition pieces will also be available at the launch (more details soon).

New members are always made very welcome - if you would like to sing with us, just come along and introduce yourself! If you are unsure about performing onstage but would still like to be involved, there are plenty of other roles backstage and in the run-up to the production. We can't function without our team of offstage helpers! You will find directions and contact info here.

Here is a little bit about both shows to whet your appetite:
Can you sue someone for breaking off an engagement? In Gilbert and Sullivan’s courtroom farce Trial by Jury, it’s a very serious crime! The fickle and bigoted defendant, Edwin, has fallen in love with another woman and has jilted the plaintiff, the beautiful Angelina. Unfortunately for Edwin, all of the members of the jury (and the judge) have fallen for Angelina themselves. Edwin proposes that in order to solve the conflict, he “marry this lady today and the other tomorrow,” which, naturally, Angelina objects to. Ultimately, the resolution that pleases everyone is for the judge to marry Angelina himself! - stageagent.com

The Sorcerer’s plot involves an engaged couple who want everyone to be as happy as they, and so the groom-to-be brings in a “family sorcerer” to administer a love potion to the entire village. As you might expect, the love potion works, but everyone falls in love with the wrong partner. All is made right in the end, however, as the sorcerer breaks the spell by the expedient of giving himself up to the powers of evil –– in an appropriate puff of smoke.  - gsopera.com
PBGS in rehearsal

Sunday 13 October 2019

A Big Thank You!


And so another show is over. We are going to miss Fairyland! A big thank you to our audiences who have clearly had a great time - your laughter, applause and cheers have helped make this such an enjoyable week. Iolanthe has never been so topical! And an equally big thank you to our Director Alison Gibbs, Musical Director Jane Stott and our Costume Designer, Manda Fraser, for giving us such a fantastic production. There are too many other important behind the scenes helpers to mention here, we couldn't put the show on without you and we love you all!

Our next show is a G&S double bill - Trial by Jury and The Sorcerer. More details are coming soon!


Our next show

 

Tuesday 1 October 2019


It's now only a week until our sparkling production of Gilbert and Sullivan's 'Iolanthe' opens. Mayhem in the Houses of Parliament sounds pretty topical, doesn't it? One of Gilbert's best comic plots, full of Sullivan's best music, this is one of their most popular operettas. And Act 1 has their famous 'Entry of the Peers', a rousing chorus for the men that always brings the house down (we ladies wish we were onstage singing it too!). And don't forget, for an extra special evening for the fairy-mad in your family, you can also Adopt a Fairy.
'The highly popular Iolanthe was once banished from fairyland for marrying a mortal. Now, after 25 years as a waterlogged single mother, she and her son Strephon are reunited with their fellow fairies... only for Strephon's plans with beautiful shepherdess Phyllis to be thrown into disarray by a misunderstanding and some envious English lords. Add in insults to the Fairy Queen, and the result is a fairy/peer war.

Which side will prevail? Will true love beat social status? Can Iolanthe avoid further condemnation? And just what does happen when a fairy ends up in parliament? Join us to find out!'
If you haven't got your tickets yet, buy them now from the Queen Mother Theatre Box Office - you won't want to miss this production!

http://queenmothertheatre.savoysystems.co.uk/QueenMotherTheatre.dll/TSelectItems.waSelectItemsPrompt.TcsWebMenuItem_0.TcsWebTab_0.TcsProgramme_427096
You can order your tickets by clicking on the button above for full online booking via the Queen Mother Theatre Box Office. For booking queries tel: 01462 455166.

The Queen Mother Theatre
Walsworth Road
Hitchin
SG4 9SP