This is one of the lesser performed G&S Operas and it is some years since I last saw a production, but I do actually quite like this one as it is somewhat different to the more accessible “mainstream” operas by the duo.
The Sorcerer satirizes early Victorian customs (as opposed to being a political satire as with most of the other operas) and is based on a Christmas story (“The Elixir of Love”) that Gilbert had written. In a nutshell, Alexis is obsessed with the idea of love levelling all ranks and social distinctions and to promote these beliefs he invites J.W. Wells, Family Sorcerers, to brew a love potion. This causes everyone in the village to fall in love with the first person they see and results in the pairing of comically mismatched couples. In the end, Wells sacrifices his life to break the spell.
Maggie (Campbell) was directing her first production for the society and she produced a well drilled, neat production that was very enjoyable. The nice thing about this group is that while paying homage to the music of the duo, they do not take themselves too seriously and are willing to send themselves up in the cause of G&S.
I could quite understand why those less inclined towards G&S might find this piece a little heavy at first as it does take a while to get going but once the love potion is administered, the sight of the villages cavorting around in their mismatched love making is quite entertaining. While this society has plenty of members who are not in the first flushes of youth, for me, this suited the story very well. Perhaps even more comic mileage could have been extracted from the shenanigans at the outset of act 2 with villagers running around after each other but Maggie did keep a nice period feel to the piece which was in keeping. In other words, the love making was restrained!! The casting was nicely balanced and the principal line up overall probably one of the best for this group in recent years.
For me, Jenny Abbott is always worth the entrance fee alone. She has a divine voice and found just the right level for the character of Aline. Playing it straight but also with a very big glint in the eye and giving it a nice light touch that was very entertaining. I could sit and watch Jenny all night. She was well matched by Jonathan Waterworth as Alexis and it was very good to see Steve Collings making a first appearance with this company as John Wellington Wells. Steve has excellent stage presence and was prefect for this role. I also always find Gill Poore very entertaining to watch in whatever she does and he portrayal of Lady Sangazure was a delight. I have only mentioned a handful of the principals, but everyone acquitted themselves well and I did enjoy the swapping of romantic intentions as the potion makes its effects felt.
The offstage orchestra were excellent as always and the sound balance was just right, so that even without any radio mics, voices were heard clearly. Visually the show was first rate with an excellent and very attractive set and colourful costumes which portrayed the Victorian village feel very well. Maggie had given the company some simple, but effective choreography so that the production never felt too static.
The company would admit that they could do with some younger members, but over the last few years, some good younger principal players have been welcomed into this group, and with excellent musical leadership and staging that befits their capabilities, this group continues to remind us all of the roots of the amateur theatre movement in Gilbert & Sullivan, and also to remind us that is no way can these operas be regarded as stuffy or even out dated.
Iain Douglas