 | Christchurch Gilbert and Sullivan Society | |
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| Gilbert and Sullivan reckon the entire House of Lords should sprout wings and fly off to fairyland. Years on we're still arguing the pros and cons, but their idea sounds intriguingly appealing. In Iolanthe, these cunning satirists use peers and fairies to poke some jagged fun at a system which has only slightly risen above the snobbery it thrived upon. The current Christchurch Gilbert and Sullivan Society production is conservative at best. | Hampered by some very rigid and unimaginative direction, this production remains rooted to the stage, seldom kicking its heels up in irreverent fun. Clearly more time has been spent on the music than on the book. We have some lovely choral work from the large company, while soprano Jane Bagley, and tenor Terrence Trickett soar above the rest of the soloists, bringing real majesty to Sullivan's score. Lovers of G&S will approve, but it's unlikely this production will attract many converts. | |||||||||||||