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It's a ruddy great show
PICTURE the scene. The Gilbert and Sullivan
Society of Edinburgh are deciding which show to produce for their big annual showcase.
HMS Pinafore? The Mikado? Already done them.
Iolanthe? Next year, perhaps. Suddenly, some bright spark pipes up with a killer idea: how about
doing the one that was widely regarded as a failure? Ruddygore!
You know - the one that saw its famous creators
being booed from the gallery after its very first performance?
It’s a bold move to take on one of Gilbert and
Sullivan’s less popular and notably darker pieces. But thanks to some skilful direction from
Alan Borthwick, a strong lead performance from Fiona Main, a terrific chorus and above all, high
production values the gamble has paid off in style.
In truth, it’s hard to see why this piece
received such a harsh reception when it first aired - although maybe that’s because this
production gives it the justice it deserves .
The story, in brief, concerns Robin Oakapple, a
simple farmer with a dark secret. Having feigned death and forsaken his title of the Baronet of
Ruddygore, he believes he has escaped a witch’s curse that has devastated his bloodline.
Each successive Baronet, so the curse goes, must
commit at least one deadly crime a day, or else perish in agony. But, this being Gilbert and
Sullivan, the mood is kept light throughout act one, as Robin, played by Neil French, vies for the
affections of the beautiful Rose (Fiona Main), before losing her to Richard Dauntless, a loveable
rogue .
Meanwhile, there are sub-plots a-plenty
involving the melodramatic villain Despard (excellently hammed up by Dan Lawson), his unhinged
betrothed Margaret and the matriarchal figure of the sage old Dame Hannah.
The cast play the comedy to perfection with a
deft sense of timing and a natural feel for when to play slapstick and when to play straight.
This is true not just of the leads, but of the
entire chorus, each one of whom seems to have been imbued with their own fully-realised character,
whether they have any lines or not. Credit here must go to both the performers themselves and
certainly the director, who has blocked and choreographed the show with flair.
In fact, it is in the chorus pieces that this
show really comes alive. Vocally, the company is strong and pitch perfect and the energy they
bring to the stage is a joy.
Perversely, this is even true of the rather less
than joyful central scene of the show in act two when, outed as the true Baronet and victim of the
curse, Robin is confronted by the portraits of his dead ancestors stepping out of their frames to
torment him.
The scene works brilliantly, acting as a
microcosm of everything that is good about this production. Great set design, wonderful costumes,
effective lighting, powerful chorus and orchestra and a strong central role courtesy of Richard
Bourjo’s deep, resonant tones.
It seems churlish to mention that this is an
amateur production. The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Edinburgh has proven once more that the
qualities of professionalism are not the sole preserve of professionals. And they know how to pick
a good show, too.
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