Topsy Turvy is a production by the Oxford University Gilbert and Sullivan Society. We were initially wondering if the play would be a version of the film by Mike Leigh. It was actually a medley of the major works of Gilbert and Sullivan, interspersed with a brief history of the background of their musicals, so it was more of a history lesson than a play! In between the
songs, small scenes were staged to discuss the success of the plays. The actors playing Gilbert, Sullivan and others, such as Gilbert's wife Kitty, addressed the audience to inform us of the year the play was originally produced and any problems that had arisen behind the scenes or with the cast. This technique was effective in conveying the relevant details of the play, and the actors were entertaining and competent in their roles. Alexander Morrison was especially good as the pompous Gilbert. The main focus of the production however, was of course the songs. All were performed with enthusiasm, and although some voices were weaker than others (as you might expect from a university society production), all the singers had a passion for the songs which really shone through.

As a newcomer to Gilbert and Sullivan, it was interesting to see an overview of their songs, and several pieces made me long to see the full production from which they hailed; notably Pirates of Penzance and Trial by Jury, both of which were sung incredibly well, and had us laughing out loud.

Both my friend and I noticed that one downside to being new to Gilbert and Sullivan was that as some songs were sang so quickly, it was difficult to understand the words and know what was going on. This may have been due to the sound quality in the theatre, or the speed, but there were several occasions at which we were both totally lost. The music was
still pleasant to listen to, although we were obviously missing a lot, as the rest of the audience who appeared to be more familiar with Gilbert and Sullivan were still finding the performance hilarious.

If you're already a fan of Gilbert and Sullivan, chances are high that you'll really enjoy Topsy Turvy. It's an enthusiastic performance which should bring back fond memories, and the Oxford Playhouse has an intimate feel which is just right for the show. For newcomers like us there's still a lot here to enjoy, but jumping from song to song has a slightly disjointed feel and we certainly felt quite lost at several points. On the other hand, if our friends ever talk about Gilbert and Sullivan in the pub (it's never happened yet, but you never know) we'll be very knowledgable!

Julie Bellingham, 6.6.4