The production consisted mainly of members new to the Society, but although this was for many a debut performance of Gilbert and Sullivan, it was nonetheless professional and striking, with energy, enthusiasm and talent in abundance. Some of the newer additions include Emily Brinston, who took our breath away with her rich and resonant voice, and whose portrayal of the prim and proper Rose Maybud was spot on, with perfect line delivery which often had us in stitches; Lydia Ellis as Mad Margaret, managing to stay in character even when singing, with a fantastic performance as so unconventional a character; Will Yeldham, in the lead role of Robin, who clearly had a deep understanding of his role and gave an unexpectedly believable performance in spite of having to burst out singing frequently (and it can be difficult to make that appear genuine…). Helena Walters also shone out from the chorus, clearly having the time of her life as she seemed unable to keep the smile off her face! A more familiar face, Chris Pyrah, performed with relish as Sir Despard, doing full justice to the character. The cast dealt well with the last-minute emergency of a missing cast member, and Charlotte Baker (director) stepped into the part of Dame Hannah seamlessly in spite of the short notice.

I could continue to list cast members and their talents ad infinitum – this production was so full of young talent and professionalism, and every performance in it was successful and impressive. The acting was tight and made the most of Gilbert’s sharp humour, and the songs were performed to a high standard, often by extremely strong and powerful voices. The lively chorus was used to great effect, pulling off the ensembles artfully and with great gusto. The orchestra was fantastic, with just nine members creating a high quality rendition of Sir Arthur Sullivan’s work close in both volume and execution to that of any full theatrical orchestra. The sounds were rich and full, and at the perfect level to make the most of themselves without drowning out the singers. Costume and set were simple but effective: the costumes used were conventional for a G&S production and I feel that this was the right choice – authentic for the era, but not so extravagant as to distract from the actors. The set was extremely sparse (it consisted of one sofa) and again, was exactly right – just what was needed and nothing more. The chorus characters were very good – the bridesmaids had just the right level of girlish excitement and the male chorus of ancestors was fantastic, really seeming to enjoy their role (including one or two people who seemed to have been born to it).

This production would be enjoyable for a long-time G&S fanatic, but would be just as good fun for someone new to their work. It is a fairly straightforward interpretation of the script but it needs nothing more and is executed extremely skilfully. A must-see performance!