SULLIVAN’S hankering to break clear of the successful mould of operetta he had fashioned with Gilbert has been widely discussed by commentators.

His output of compositions over and above the stage works on which they collaborated is remarkable in scope.

But there is little doubt that the fourteen operettas amount to his most lasting achievement.

Gilbert was attracted to the subject matter of The Yeomen of the Guard by a poster seen while waiting for a train.

After attracting Sullivan’s interest in the completed libretto, he went to no end of trouble to please the composer - to the extent, for example, of submitting two rhythmically different versions of one of the lyrics.

Their eleventh joint venture, although The Yeomen clearly abounds in the stylistic features made familiar by its predecessors, it has a gentle maturity that derives from generally subtler handling of words and music. Both composer and librettist thought it their best effort.

Director Alan Borthwick’s production is impressively staged. It probes more serious elements of the drama without losing touch with the irrepressible knockabout humour that is characteristic of the G & S operettas.

Now in his twenty-eighth year as musical director of the society, David Lyle has built himself a sound reputation for knowledge and reliability. His control of the chorus is secure, and he accompanies solos and ensembles with sympathetic flexibility.

On a minor point of criticism, he could, however, make more of the overture - which sounded almost perfunctory at times.

To approach another critical comment as gently as possible, after a performance of H.M.S. Pinafore, Sullivan received a letter from his friend Captain Charles Beresford.

That renowned sailor wrote first of his great enjoyment of the whole and then went on to list half-a-dozen points concerning naval correctness, which called for closer attention.

By similar token, it would do no harm at all if last night’s Yeomen were to sharpen up on simple matters of military drill - such as saluting and halberd-handling.

Fiona Main as Phoebe made a good start with her spinning song, 'When Maiden Loves she Sits and Sighs'.

The crowd scene of the opening chorus worked well, and so did 'Here’s a Man of Jollity' - with its irregular rhythms.

Liz Hutchings (Dame Carruthers) and the chorus of Yeomen admirably caught the strange, subdued mood of 'When our Noble Norman Foes'. Barbara Brodie (Elsie) and Scott Thomson (Jack Point) found an appropriately relaxed vein in 'I have a Song to Sing O!' and the Act I Finale unfurled itself very effectively.

Better still was to come in Act II. Ian Lawson (Wilfred Shadbolt) gave a fine all-round performance. His duet with Point ('Hereupon we’re both Agreed') kick-started a string of splendid numbers that were full of vitality.

Neil French (Colonel Fairfax) was at his best in the solo 'Free from his Fetters Grim', and the wonderful quartet that follows ('Strange Adventure!') was one of the highlights of a good show.

SANDY SCOTT