Gilbert & Sullivan: Abridged
The easiest way to describe this show is to say it’s a G&S version of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, essentially condensing all 14 operas into 90 minutes. Loosely draped over the premise of a touring company on its last legs due to Arts Council funding cuts (with an additional impausible adoption-based sub-plot: fun but frankly in-keeping with some of G&S’s plots!!). The three singers were perfectly fine in their roles, showcasing the at times mesmerising tongue-twisting lyrics with aplomb. Some of the biting satire was lost and at times the flow between songs was jarring slightly but G&S fans will love it nonetheless.
Connaught Theatre, Worthing, 17 February 2013
Rating:
Lee Stevens
I saw this in Chelmsford. Lee, I’m not sure what you are talking about. 2 out of the 3 of them were flat, there was very little musical talent! When they first came on, I thought they were singing poorly on purpose in the opening song, it seemed like there was a joke coming, but as it turned out, they just could not sing. To make things worse, they had to read most of the songs, hadn’t even learn’t the words!!!
I don’t know whether we had the same cast, but the show at Malvern was abysmal. Two of the singers could not sing on their own, let alone hold a part against other singers, one could sing but made an awful fist of hamming it up, the props were appallingly shabby, the timing was poor and the plots and sub-plots were completely lost as a result. In short this performance was dire. It is the worst performance I have ever seen, amateur or professional. Gilbert and Sullivan fans will cringe. All of them could put on a better performance than this. To compare it to the Reduced Shakespeare company is like comparing plastic beads to the crown jewels. This is not only my opinion, but that of music experts. See Sheila Joynes Diary for further comments.
http://sheilajoynes.wordpress.com/2013/02/09/gilbert-and-sullivan-abridged-a-review/