Iolanthe

October 19, 2023

It’s a topsy-turvy worldview, typical of Gilbert & Sullivan, in which life in the fairy world and Parliament is reversed. Phyllis and Strephon (half man, half-fairy) wish to marry, but as Phyllis is a ward of court, she requires the Lord Chancellor’s permission. The Lord Chancellor, however, wants her for himself.

Sullivan’s ever-melodious musical score matches Gilbert’s libretto in satirising the vanities and egos of the peers of the realm. And, just for good measure, Iolanthe targets the celebrity culture of the day. There are thinly disguised portraits of the good and the great of late Victorian society. There are side swipes at Queen Victoria, John Brown (her personal servant and ‘close companion’), Lord Randolph Churchill (reformist Tory) and William Gladstone (the serving Liberal PM).

We have the choice of Band A or Band B tickets. With the Band B tickets being just one row behind the Band A section, I wanted to offer a more affordable option. The whole of the stage and set is visible from the Band B tickets, the only thing that would be obscured by the overhang of the Balcony would be the ‘surtitles’. It’s questionable whether these would be necessary at a Gilbert & Sullivan production. The choice is yours.

Offer Price just £99.50 (Band A) / £72.50 (Band B)

per person to include return coach and Royal Circle ticket.
Pick-up 5.00pm
Location: Dorking Halls