Gilbert & Sullivan
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THE MIT Gilbert & Sullivan PLAYERS About the Show First produced in 1877, The Sorcerer was the first full length collaboration between W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, and in it they established many elements that were to become staples of all their later works. Here for the first time we see the logic-defying “topsy-turvy” plot, the comic baritone who rattles off tongue-twisting patter songs, and the extremely active and visible chorus, as well as many other elements that would later be seen as hallmarks of the Gilbert & Sullivan tradition. Because The Sorcerer was the first full-length collaboration of Gilbert and Sullivan, it manages to exude the familiar G & S magic while being sufficiently different from the partnership’s mature works to be something of a breath of fresh air within the genre. Of course, as with any initial effort, it possesses its fair share of rough spots, but we feel the work’s considerable charm more than make up for them. The Sorcerer satirizes early Victorian customs and social mores, especially as they relate to the English social class system. Indeed, it may be the most essentially Victorian of any of the operettas. In this regard its humor may be less accessible to an audience unschooled in Victorian trivia than the witty political satire that is the comic staple of so many otherG&Scollaborations. However, it provides ample opportunities to dazzle an audience with magical spectacle, as well as some of Sullivan’s most sparkling music, notably the delightful duet “Welcome Joy, Adieu to Sadness” as well as the delightful “’Tis Twelve, I Think” opening of Act II. There are also ample aspects that remain vital and compelling to an audience: social class distinctions are alive and well today, although more taboo as a topic of discussion in American culture than they ever have been in Britain, and one need only look at Hollywood’s stream of romantic comedies to realize that the entertainment potential of comically mismatched romantic partners remains high. For this production, we will be emphasizing the period aspects of the material and attempting to stay as authentic as possible in matters of costume and setting. We will be using the revised score from the 1884 revival (today’s performing standard) with two exceptions: Constance’s Act II solo (“O Bitter Joy”) will be restored to its original key, and we will be inserting the Act II “Ahrimanes” scene in which J. W. Wells meets his demonic master face to face. This scene was cut from Gilbert’s libretto before opening night and the music has been lost; we will be using reconstructed music by David Larrick, who has graciously donated to us the performance materials for this scene. We hope this production will attract cast members who will enjoy creating an authentic staging of one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s less frequently staged works. If you have any questions about any of the above, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]..