Iolanthe [1982]
As good as I remembered it - I watched this when it was screened on the BBC in the early 1980s. It was my first experience of Gilbert and Sullivan after the Mikado and it quickly overtook it as my favourite. I watched it because the lady who lived in the flat upstairs from my brother was a member of D oyly Carte and so I knew all about their troubles. I probably felt that I was watching it out of support for them as I was a bit of a rock chick back then.Some of the choreography is a little clumsy (and I m not talking about the fairy in the opening song - she s deliberate), the blue-screening is obvious, but this was 1982. I ve always remembered that gorgeous teddy bear in Lord s robes, and having just seen it again, I still want it. Purists may not like this version, but to me that s the same as not daring to laugh at Shakespeare s comedies - and that s another story entirely. The most surprising fact is that, despite it being the D oyly Carte and the London Philamonic Orchgestra, this DVD is not available in the UK. It seems to me, in this case at least, America is taking better care of our culture than we are!Iolanthe has an incredible sense of fun so watch it, especially if you never thought the victorians had a sense of humour. The introduction was interesting and useful, as was the potted biography of G & S themselves. To top it all, Iolanthe was first performed on my birthday (the date - not the year!) so maybe this is why I feel such an affinity for it!
intoxicating Iolanthe - I sometimes think that when these operettas are translated from stage to screen, it is difficult to obtain the correct balance without losing the overall effect of these wonderful operas. However, in this case, I think the balance is right - special effects such as Iolanthe rising from her watery sojourn are good, and the little bits of business so loved by G&S fans is not over the top. The fairies with their wings out to dry and the one who always seems to struggle to keep up with the others add light-hearted moments. Derek Hammond-Stroud performs well as the Lord Chancellor with a creditable rendering of the nightmare song, and Anne Collins is superb as the Queen of the Fairies. All the other principals clearly enjoy their roles with strong singing, altogether, a most pleasant production of this lovely opera.