MAKE AMERICA GREAT (BRITAIN) AGAIN

 New York Gilbert&Sullivan Players' production of H.M.S. Pinafore

We wish the title of this review had been our own creation but it is not. It is just an example of the clever approach taken by New York Gilbert&Sullivan Players in adapting a Victorian work of quintessential British flavor to the tastes of 21st century New Yorkers.  W.S.Gilbert's clever lyrics may contain a few words that are outside of our vocabulary but the rhymes tickle our brain whilst Arthur Sullivan's memorable tunes tickle our ears to the point that we are suffering from what is known as "ear worms". If we are going to endure this malady it may just as well be caused by good tunes as by boring jingles.

Contributing to the rapturous response of the appreciative audience were a number of contemporary interpolations, not so very different from the liberties taken in The Mikado with "I've got a little list". Lest we deprive you of the surprise effect of these liberties, we will confine our mention to just one. Dear Reader, you must be aware of the nonsensical meme of "6-7" and you will enjoy a good laugh as the cast drives that one into the ground. The schtick were abundant in this iteration of the company's frequent revival; if some were groan worthy, let us not be the one to say so. We smirked, chuckled, and guffawed right along with the rest of the audience. That the gloom of this rainy evening failed to dampen the high spirits of the audience was obvious.

To those readers who have never seen this delightfully entertaining show, we will tell you that Gilbert and Sullivan made their reputation in Victorian England by skewering British society, especially politics and class structure. In the case of H.M.S Pinafore, the exalted reputation of the British navy and the limitations of class structure are the butt of their humor.

A "lowly" British seaman (Cameron Smith) falls in love with the Captain's daughter (Michelle Seipel). The Captain (David Auxier) hopes she will wed the aging and awkward First Lord of the Admiralty (James Mills) who boards the ship with his very controlling Cousin Hebe (Victoria Devany) as well as a singing and dancing chorus of "Sisters, Cousins, and Aunts". Not exactly the villain of the piece is one Dick Deadeye (Matthew Wages) who brings a very funny negativity on board. The denouement rests upon the shoulders of the (not so) Little Buttercup (Angela Christine Smith). Filling out the cast are David Wannen and Quinto Ott.

Maestro Albert Bergeret conducted the orchestra and it is they whom we blame for the "ear worm"; we cannot get those tunes out of our head, nor do we wish to.  Listed as Director was Mr. Mills himself with Mr. Auxier listed as Co-

director and Choreographer. The production moved swiftly and the stage business, which was abundant and bordering upon excessive, never interfered with the singing. We also enjoyed the choreography (originally by Bill Fabris) which involved lots of hornpipes for the crew and some delicate dancing by the Sisters, Cousins, and Aunts. Indeed the production is a beautiful one with a most realistic set (the Quarterdeck) by Albère and sensitive lighting by Benjamin Weill.

Although this work premiered in 1876, it has held up as well as those by the contemporaneous Verdi, although the comic style reminded us more of Rossini. Now here's the anticipated quibble. Although theater goers of today are accustomed to amplified voices, this opera lover is not. Whilst enjoying the performances, the acting, the directing, and the libretto, we feel unable to comment on the voices. Not one stood out as remarkably good or bad, just serviceable.  With comprehension varying from one performer to the next, and from one moment to the next, some of Gilbert's clever dialogue did not come across. Subtitles would have been welcome.

The performances of the romantic couple were overshadowed by the larger than life performances of the rest of the cast who are company regulars. We have come to expect these winning performances and would settle for no less. We had a marvelously entertaining evening and we hope you will too, if you are able to secure tickets. The show runs through the weekend and continues next weekend at The Kaye Playhouse of Hunter College. 

We are already anticipating the company's production of Utopia, Limited in April.

© meche kroop

A MEMORABLE IOLANTHE

David Wannen, Angela Christine Smith, Claire Leyden, and David Macaluso

Although not as frequently produced as The Mikado and Pirates of Penzance, lovers of Gilbert and Sullivan's works must count Iolanthe as one of their masterpieces. It was a fine selection to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players. Although we were not here 50 Years ago, throughout  our theater going days we have watched this venerable company increase in artistry and prestige until last night when we watched enthusiastic fans filling the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College, a sizable and comfortable venue with (thankfully below ground level) orchestra pit, well filled by Maestro Albert Bergeret and his superb orchestra. 

As a matter of fact the first thing we noticed was the sparkling overture. Once the action started one's attention became riveted upon W.S. Gilbert's lyrics which are so clever that they take one's full attention; one might miss just how skillfully the music establishes both situation and character. Focusing on the overture with its alternation between the lyrical and the pompous, the romantic and the official, informs us of Sullivan's mastery of tunefulness and orchestral colors.

The plot has something for everyone. The story, like most of those by G&S, focuses on satire of British institutions, in this case the British Parliament and its  self serving custom of the Lords marrying off their wards to the highest political bidder, so to speak. If the theme of political corruption and the emotional tendency for self-justification are insufficient to entertain you, there is always a love story between a beautiful soprano (in this case, the wildly talented and operatically trained Claire Leyden) and a tenor who must overcome obstacles to win her love--in this case the tenorrific David Macaluso.

Opera lovers may catch bits and pieces the Savoyards borrowed from the world of opera and ballet, bits both musical and physical.  For example, during the patter song "When you're lying awake" (sung by the marvelous James Mills as The Lord Chancellor), Maestro Bergeret, who also directed, kept bidding the increasingly exhausted Mr. Mills for encore verses until the poor singer was on the verge of collapse, only to be wound up again just like Olympia, the mechanical doll in Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffman. Ballet lovers may have noticed reflections of the "Dance of the Cygnets" in Swan Lake as the fairies danced in Act I.

The story is a charming one in which the fairy Iolanthe (portrayed by Amy Maude Helfer)  had escaped the death sentence reserved for fairies who marry mortals by the leniency of the Fairy Queen (played by contralto Angela Christine Smith, so amply of body and voice). She had born a son Strephon (Mr. Macaluso) in her forbidden marriage with the Lord Chancellor (Mr. Mills).

Strephon has become a shepherd and has fallen in love with a charming girl who is a ward in Chancery of The Lord Chancellor who does not accept his suit. Strephon is overheard speaking affectionately with his mother who, as a fairy, has not aged and appears to be romantically involved with Strephon, sending poor Phyllis into a fit of anger and determination to marry one of the Lords, never mind which. Both The Earl of Mountararat (marvelous Matthew Wages, with resonant low tones and exquisite comic timing) and The Earl of Tolloller (tenor Daniel Greenwood, with similar comic talent) vie for her hand in a delightful duet. 

Let us not forget the similarly superb comic chops of David Wannen whose huge bass tones were just perfect for Private Willis of The Grenadier Guards whose "When all night long a chap remains" struck us as perfect political commentary.

If we have said very little about the voices, it is because amplification never gives us a true picture of the singers' instruments.  However, the only one in the cast whom we have often heard unamplified on the opera stage is Ms. Leyden and to her vocal gifts we can attest.  Everyone else is in the cast sounded just fine but simply not describable. The acting was flawless as was Bergeret's direction.

Gail J. Wofford's costumes were marvelously colorful and period apropos (1885). Jack Garver's set design was simple but effective. David Auxier's choreography was well suited to the fairies and to the Lords who somehow reminded us of the Rockettes.

I was an extraordinarily satisfying lighthearted evening at a time when our own nation is ripe and ready for political satire. Unfortunately, all we get are memes and cartoons on FaceBook and on Instagram. We wish we had a team as clever as Gilbert and Sullivan to write something pertaining to contemporary times.

Since we always have a minor quibble, let us just suggest that titles be provided. We spent some time reading the libretto and marveled at Gilbert's skills with wordplay and rhyming. That much of the words were lost during the performance seemed particularly unfortunate. Naturally, low voices are more easily understood so Mr. Wannen and Ms. Smith were always clearly understood. The female chorus, whilst charming, was the least comprehensible.

© meche kroop

RUDDIGORE or THE WITCH'S CURSE

Daniel Greenwood, Sarah Caldwell Smith, David Macaluso, Matthew Wages, Hannah Holmes,

 David Wannen and Angela Christine Smith

 We have been enjoying the fruits of New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players' labors for quite a long time but we never realized that the company has been delighting audiences for half a century. During our time in New York City we have witnessed their growth in size, professionalism, and audience impact.  Every season brings new delights with constant reminders of why HMS Pinafore and Pirates of Penzance are such enduring classics as well as fresh introductions to Gilbert and Sullivan's  lesser known work like last night's Ruddigore.

The three hours spent in their company last night flew by with nary a dull moment. Ballads, madrigals, patter songs, and choruses tumbled over one another, exhibiting Arthur Sullivan's keen sense of melody. W. H. Gilbert's lyrics are replete with clever rhymes and plays on words. Although we have often heard excerpts from Ruddigore on many a prior occasion, this is the first time we had the opportunity to enjoy the entire work--and enjoy we did!

As in their other works, Gilbert's text manages to skewer all of Great Britain's "sacred cows"--aristocratic ancestry, serious opera, the Royal Navy, social etiquette, the institution of marriage, religion, and even income tax. The story concerns a hereditary baronetcy tainted by a long held curse that requires each baronet to commit a daily crime or die a horrible death. In a gloss on religious hypocrisy it just wouldn't do to commit a sole crime early in the day and then compensate by doing good for the remainder of the day.

The last baronet has apparently staged his own demise in order to escape the curse, and has gone into hiding as the shy and simple farmer Robin Oakapple, portrayed by the terrific tenor David Macaluso. The professional bridesmaids of the village, given some lovely choruses and dances (choreographed by David Auxier), have not had a wedding in months and are champing at the bit. They would like to see the lovely Rose Maybud wed.  Soprano Sarah Caldwell Smith, aside from having a lovely voice, excelled at creating a character who hides behind her etiquette book and whose willingness to wed seems not fixed on any particular suitor.

Robin is so shy and Rose is so constrained by the rules of etiquette that they cannot manage a courtship. Their duet "I know a youth" was delightful and charming.  Robin's foster brother Richard Dauntless is not so shy! As portrayed by Daniel Greenwood, he is an outwardly affable sailor who agrees to court Rose for Robin but decides to win her for himself. Alas, poor Robin!

There is worse in store for the hapless hero. His disguise is revealed by that old snake-in-the-grass Richard; Robin's brother, Sir Despard Murgatroyd, who has assumed the baronetcy, is thrilled to be relieved of his ancestral duty. Matthew Wages seemed to enjoy playing the evil man in "Oh, why am I moody and sad?". as much as he enjoyed playing him as a proper citizen when relieved of his position, leaving us to wonder "does the role make the man?"

One of the many highlights of the evening was the performance of mezzo-soprano Hannah Holmes as Mad Margaret who manages to outdo every mad scene you have ever seen.  In "Cheerily carols the lark", it was not just the singing that impressed us but the body movement amounting to a dance of madness. Once reunited with her beloved she assumes a staid mien, only occasionally erupting into the crazies from which she is brought back to normalcy by the safe word "Basingstoke" which probably had a significance for the late 19th century audience.

Vocally impressive was the contralto instrument of Angela Christine Smith as Ruth's aunt Dame Hannah.  We were happy to see her reunited with her long lost lover (or at least with his ghost) Sir Roderic Murgatroyd, portrayed by David Wannen. The tender duet "There Grew a Little Flower" placed two great voices in pleasing harmony.

Rounding out the cast was Patrick Lord Remmert who created the character of Robin's faithful servant Old Adam Goodheart, a "Vally-desham" in the titles which we figured out was Brit-speak for valet de chambre. 

Maestro Albert Bergeret brilliantly led his orchestra through the constant flow of musical numbers and also co-directed with Mr. Auxier. We found no fault with the direction which emphasized the melodramatic nature of the story and its stock characters, which are as familiar to the English speaking world as commedia del'arte is to the Italian speaking world. 

The set design was most satisfactory, attributed to Albére, after Edward Gorey.  Act I created a seaside village with a house on one side and a shed of some sort on the other, reminding us of the set for the ballet Giselle. Act II took place in the ancestral home of a the Murgatroyd's with an entire wall of ancestral portraits which, in a stroke of directorial genius, came to life.

The colorful costumes by Gail J. Wofford were a propos to time and place, adding to the success of the performance. We greet the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players with a grand. "Huzzah"!!!! We can barely wait for their production of The Pirates of Penzance in January.

© meche kroop

WE'VE GOT A LITTLE LIST

 The Gilbert and Sullivan Players presents THE MIKADO

Dank was the night and gloomy were our spirits; but three minutes of Arthur Sullivan's tunes and our smile might have lit up the stage of The Kaye Playhouse. For three hours we were transported to the Japan of Victorian Era England. It hadn't been long since Japan had become open to the West and the English were fascinated by Japanese artifacts.

Indeed, in the clever prologue devised by David Auxier-Loyola, we get to see an imagined scene in the offices of the D'Oyly Carte Company in which W.S. Gilbert (played by Mr. Auxier himself) gets his idea for The Mikado from examining a selection of Japanese objets d'art. Gilbert and his composer partner Arthur Sullivan (played by David Macaluso) had just premiered a hit and were looking for inspiration for their next creation.

Perhaps Mr. Auxier was inspired by Mike Leigh's 1999 film Topsy-Turvy which we highly recommend to all lovers of Gilbert and Sullivan since their tempestuous but artistically rewarding partnership was given a most satisfying treatment.

Getting back to the music that so rapidly changed our mood, Maestro Joseph Rubin put his orchestra through their lively paces with conductorial glee. We have been humming the tunes all night and those ear-worms have sustained that smile we spoke of. There is a reason why certain works of art become classics; in the case of music theater, the public wants tunes and rhythm, married to an engaging story with lyrics that fit the music, just as "the punishment fits the crime".

Although we despair of attempts by narcissistic directors to make their mark on the classics and thereby wind up destroying them (i.e. the current production of Bizet's Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera), we have no objection to the little touches employed in this production to bring the work into the 21st century. Do not worry, Dear Reader, Nanki-Poo does not carry a cell phone. We do believe it is customary for the director of this operetta to update The Mikado's hit number (which we call "I've Got a Little List") to include contemporary references to politics and social customs. We are not going to spoil it for you, Dear Reader; you will have to go and hear for yourself, be you lucky enough to get a ticket.

David Wannen made a fine, funny, and arrogant Mikado and his excellent performance was matched by the entire cast. We particularly enjoyed the Nanki-Poo of tenor John Charles McLaughlin who was more than commonly affecting in his creation of a young innocent Candide type youth. His "A Wand'ring Minstrel I" was sung with pure tone, lovely phrasing, and dramatic conviction.

As his beloved Yum-Yum, Rebecca L. Hargrove delivered one of the best ever examples of female vanity in her major aria "The Sun Whose Rays are All Ablaze". She provided plenty of humor in her off-again on-again intention to wed our hero, dependent upon whether she would be buried alive, a situation handled with dry British humor.

The part of Koko, Lord High Executioner of Titipu, was portrayed by Mr. Macaluso with admirable physicality that garnered much laughter from the audience. His desperate courtship of Katisha could be considered a lesson in clowning. This made his tender aria "Willow, Tit-Willow" even more soulful by contrast.

The character of Pooh-Bah is a matchless vehicle for comic acting and Matthew Wages more than lived up to the challenge with physical humor to spare. Just look at the gestures he employs as he describes his multiple offices and his greedy eyes as he extracts bribes without compunction.

None of these characters could be considered evil, just opportunistic. The character who comes closest to evil is the unpleasant Katisha (played by Hannah Holmes), the "Daughter-in-law Elect", but even she has a softer side. It was fun watching her melt to Koko's love song in contrast with her customary rage. This reminds us that miserable people are most often suffering from a lack of love. When she interrupts The Mikado's entrance with her insistent "daughter-in-law elect" we see the attention-seeking as an attempt to compensate for being rejected earlier by Nanki-Poo. She knows she is unattractive and therefore shows excessive pride in her shoulder and elbow. Her costume reminded us of that of Carabosse, the evil fairy in the ballet Sleeping Beauty.

Which reminds us to credit Quinto Ott for the colorful and apt Costume Design. The blend of Victorian fashion with Japanese elements is most successful. The female chorus is decked out in high Victorian style with bustles and exposed crinolettes. The male chorus ("We are Gentlemen of Japan") is dressed in typical Victorian gentlemen fashion with some Japanese decoration.

Anshuman Bhatia designed the simple but effective set with Koko's tailor shop stage right and the Titipu railway station stage left, lent verisimiltude by the sound effect of the approaching train, heralding the arrival of the "Three Little Maids from School" and later The Mikado and Katisha.

Elizabeth Cernadas had the role of Pitti-Sing and Peep-Bo was played by Sarah Hutchison.

Mr. Auxier did a fine job directing and choreographing, and Maestro Albert Bergeret served as Music Director. Kudos to all!

Since we always need some minor detail to grumble about, it would be some ineffective enunciation on the part of the chorus and some of the female performers. Surtitles would have been welcome since Gilbert's text is so very clever. It seems a shame to miss a word of it.

© meche kroop

INNOCENT MERRIMENT

Rebecca Hargrove, David Wannen, John Charles McLaughlin, Sarah Caldwell Smith, David Auxier, David Macaluso, Cáitlin Burke, Matthew Wages, and Amy Maude Helfer

Delighting audiences since 1885, W.S.Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan's comic operetta The Mikado has been brought up to speed by an inventive framing device. Possibly borrowing a page from Mike Leigh's 1999 film Topsy Turvy, the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players' Director and Choreographer David Auxier-Loyola has written a prologue hinting at how G&S came up with the idea for The Mikado. In this prologue, he himself portrayed the dour Gilbert with David Macaluso taking the role of the genial Sullivan. 

At an impasse, their producer Richard D'Oyly Carte opens a trunk of mementos redolent of the Victorian obsession with japonaiserie. Meanwhile, members of the D'Oyly Carte Company invade the space with their varied complaints. Making a big splash was the powerfully voiced Cáitlin Burke who would play Katisha, the "daughter-in-law elect" of the Mikado. We had the same thrill of recognition that we experienced seeing the film, as words were tossed about that would make their way into the operetta.

The device added a great deal to our appreciation although it did make for a long evening. Yet we were never bored and the three hours sped by. We have nothing but good things to say about the cast, the orchestra conducted by Joseph Rubin, and the production values.

Why has this operetta endured since Victorian days? One had only to look around the Kaye Playhouse to see heads wagging in time with the music and arms subtly waving back and forth; one had only to listen to the crowd emerging at the end humming the tunes. Good music will do that! Furthermore, Gilbert's lyrics are not only hilarious and clever but responsive to the rhythms of the English language in a way that very few lyricists have managed to achieve.

The more you hear Sullivan's music the more you appreciate it. Last night we were particularly taken with his complex writing for ensembles, particularly in the madrigal "Brightly Dawns Our Wedding Day".

We also enjoyed the contemporary updating of "I've Got a Little List", sung by Ko-Ko, the tailor who has been given the role of Lord High Executioner. Similarly we got a big kick out of "Let the Punishment Fit the Crime" sung by the Mikado himself. These are not the actual titles of the songs but rather how they are commonly known.

Nanki-Poo, son of the Mikado in the disguise of "A Wand'ring Minstrel" was sung by the sweet voiced tenor John Charles McLaughlin who gave a sympathetic and engaging performance.

His self-absorbed beloved Yum-Yum was adorably realized by the superb soprano Sarah Caldwell Smith who is well known to us from the Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live. "The Sun, Whose Rays are All Ablaze" was beautifully rendered.

Impressing us with his comic chops was David Macaluso who kept the audience in stitches with his physical humor, accompanied by generous facial expressiveness. In the prologue, he portrayed Arthur Sullivan.

Matthew Wages, who is well known to us from several performances with Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live, made a very humorous Pooh-Bah adopting different expressions, different vocal colors, and different gestures for each of his many occupations, from solicitor to Chancellor of the Exchequer to Bishop of Titipu.

David Wannen made a regal Mikado and clearly enunciated all of the miscreants of society on his list--and the appropriate punishments for each. We wondered whether the updatings were written by Mr. Auxier who portrayed Mr. Gilbert in the Prologue and Pish-Tush in the operetta itself.

We enjoyed Amy Maude Helfer as Pitti-Sing as much as we enjoyed her recent performance as Ruth in Utopia Opera's Pirates of Penzance. She has a great flair for G&S. 

Almost stealing the show as the vengeful Katisha was the sonorous voice of Cáitlin Burke. Her final scene with Ko-Ko was a marvel of actors working off one another. He cannot stand her but must marry her so that Nanki-Poo can wed Yum-Yum. He serenades her with "Willow, Tit-Willow" so successfully that her rage melts and she becomes an almost-nice person.

Adding to the success of this production is a wonderful set by Anshuman Bhatia. A railway station stage left bearing the sign"Town of Titipu" and a tailor shop stage right appear before a painted backdrop looking a bit like a Japanese woodcut of mountains. A few branches of flowering trees and a bench provide a place for wooing.

Benjamin Weill's lighting was exemplary. When Yum-Yum sings about the sun's glory, the stage is warmly lit with golden tones. When she comes to the verse about the moon, the lighting becomes dark and tinged with cool blues.

Quinto Ott's costumes were colorful and playful. The women's Victorian gowns revealed the armature underneath that served to create the shape that was popular in that era. Those of the Mikado and Pooh-Bah were appropriately over embellished.

Much work had been done to appease the Asian community's objections and the production managed to be politically correct whilst holding to the intent of the piece. We have no idea what the cast wore in 1865 but this reminder that the work is about Victorian England and not about Japan made it seem just right.

Victorians needed to see their hypocrisies, bureaucracies, sexual repression, and political chicaneries exposed and ridiculed. Perhaps today we need a work that ridicules political correctness! But where could we find another Gilbert and Sullivan?

© meche kroop