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Iolanthe - April 2005 |
Iolanthe > > > April 1 - 9, 2005
A Comic Operetta by Gilbert & Sullivan Gilbert had taken potshots at the aristocracy before, but in this fairy opera, the House of Lords is lampooned as a bastion of the ineffective, privileged and dim-witted. The political party system and other institutions also come in for a dose of satire. Yet, both author and composer managed to couch the criticism among such bouncy, amiable absurdities that it is all received as good fun. Both Gilbert and Sullivan were at the height of their creative powers, and many people feel that Iolanthe (pronounced eye-oh-lan-thee), their seventh work together, is the most perfect of their collaborations. Strephon, an Arcadian shepherd, wants to marry Phyllis, a ward of the Court of Chancery. Phyllis does not know that Strephon is half fairy -- down to the waist. When Phyllis sees Strephon kissing an apparently young woman, she assumes the worst. But her rival turns out to be none other than Strephon's own mother, Iolanthe, a fairy -- fairies never grow old. But Phyllis guardian, the Lord Chancellor of England, and half the peers in the House of Lords are sighing after her. Soon the peers and the fairies are virtually at war, and long friendships are nearly torn asunder. As in Trial by Jury, the Legal Mind comes up with a clever solution to the problem. And, as you may well guess, thereby hangs a tale. This cast will require approximately 40 to 50 actors of all ages. Performances at the Pumphouse Theatre Additional Material on Iolanthe can be found at the following links: |
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