Mostly G&S

Cast announced for The Yeomen of the Guard

admin — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:36:35 +0000

Mostly G&S is pleased to confirm the leading cast for its October performance of Glibert and Sullivan’s The Yeomen of the Guard:

Sir Richard Cholmondeley (Lieutenant of the Tower) Rod Whyte
Colonel Fairfax Steve McAdam
Sergeant Meryll (A Yeoman of the Guard) Jeff Trim
Leonard Meryll (HIs son) Barrie Seaman
Jack Point (A Strolling Jester) Iain Whittaker
Wilfred Shadbolt (Head Jailor & Assistant Tormentor) Mark Williams
First Yeoman John Dimmock
Second Yeoman Mike Fields
Elsie Maynard (A Strolling Singer) Maggie Lowe
Phoebe Meryll (Sgt.Meryll’s daughter) Kathryn Marshall
Dame Carruthers (Housekeeper to the Tower) Jane Andrews-Wilson
Kate (Her Niece) Antonia Durrant

Mostly G&S will be performing The Yeomen of the Guard at The Oakwood Centre, Woodley, Reading, Berkshire on 22-23 October 2010 at 7.45pm. Please contact us for more information and for tickets. Availability is limited so please don’t delay in applying.

The Gondoliers show report

admin — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 21:01:37 +0000

Opening song Act I from Mostly G&S's performance of The Gondoliers

The Gondoliers by WS Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan
Adapted for concert performance by Mostly G&S.

The 12th out of 14 works composed by Gilbert and Sullivan and one of their best known operettas, The Gondoliers poses a typical G&S puzzle. In this case, which of two young gondoliers is the heir to the throne of Barataria? What will they do given that both are recently married and one was previously wedded to a six-month-old baby? And how will the babe, now young woman, deal with the issue when she is in love with another man?

Venue – The Oakwood Theatre Woodley, Reading, Berkshire
Performances – 27-27 March 2010

Cast
The Duke of Plaza-Toro – Iain Whittaker
Luiz (his attendant) – Malcolm Wellard
Don Alhambra del Bolero/Narrator – Jeff Trim
Marco Palmieri – Steve McAdam
Giuseppe Palmieri – Keith Lawrence
Antonio – Mark Williams
Francesco – Kevin Goodfellow
Giorgio – Mark Fields

The Duchess of Plaza-Toro – Jane Andrews-Wilson
Casilda (her daughter)- Suzannah Brooksbank
Gianetta – Maggie Lowe
Tessa – Jenny Gumbrell
Fiametta- Jacqui Voller
Vittoria – Samantha Fields
Giula – Annie Hogwood
Inez – Samantha Fields

The Nurse reveals all in the Mostly G&S production of The Gondoliers

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Chorus
Sheila Baxter, Adam Berridge, Dorothy Bessant, Doreen Blake, Julia Cranmer, Bill Cranmer, Janet Dance, John Dimmock, Tony Dunne, Judy Greenwood, Janet Hayhoe, Mike Hayhoe, Sue Jones, Derek Northeast, Carol Spencer and Molly West.

Production team
Narration and script – Jeff Trim
Staged by – Jill Morgan
Conducted by – John Lawes
Pianist – David Harrison
Percussion – Paul Netherton
Foyer pianist – Bert Osborn
Lighting design and operation – Kim Hollamby

Acknowledgements
Sincere thanks to Dorothy Bessant, Judy Greenwood, Elizabeth Dunne, the staff at the Oakwood Centre and Linnea Vaughan, who is Jack of all trades and Master of Many!

Auditions for The Yeomen of the Guard

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 07:51:56 +0000

Mostly G&S is pleased to announce that the auditions for The Yeomen of the Guard will be held on 5 May 2010 at our usual rehearsal venue. The pieces are as follows:

Sir Richard Cholmondley (Lieutenant of the Tower)
p53-54 How say you

Sergeant Meryll (of the Yeomen of the Guard)
p31-33 The air I breathe

Colonel Fairfax (officer under sentence of death)
p36-39 Is life a boon

Leonard Meryll (Sergeant Meryll’s son)
p29-30 The scheme is rash

Jack Point (a Strolling Jester)
p119-121 Oh, a private buffoon

Wilfred Shadbolt (Head Jailor and Assistant Tormentor)
p89-91 To thy fraternal care

1st & 2nd Yeomen
p19-20 This the Autumn of our Life

Elsie Maynard (a Strolling Singer)
p63-69 Tis done, I am a bride

Phoebe Meryll (Sergeant Meryll’s daughter)
p70-73 Were I thy bride

Dame Carruthers (Housekeeper to The Tower)
p25-28 When our gallant Norman foes

Kate (Dame Carruther’s niece)
p129-131 Strange Adventure

Note that anyone auditioning for a main part but who is also happy to be considered for a smaller role will not be required to sing twice; just let us know when you attend the audition.

Reheasals for The Yeomen of the Guard commence on 14 April and Mostly G&S will perform this popular Gilbert & Sullivan operetta on 22-23 October at the Oakwood Theatre, Woodley, Reading. Please follow these links if you would like to join Mostly G&S or want to contact us for further information about auditions or anything else.

The Yeomen of the Guard 22-23 October

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:03:32 +0000

Mostly G&S is pleased to announce that it will be performing The Yeomen of the Guard on 22-23 October.

Otherwise known as The Merryman and his Maid, this WS Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan operetta was first performed in 1888 and has maintained its popularity ever since.

The Yeomen of the Guard is set at the Tower of London during the 16th Century. Unlike typical G&S topsy-turvy fare it has a slightly darker side to its storyline, although there is plenty of humour as well, helped along by a score that critics consider to be among Sullivan’s finest.

Details of our rehearsal schedule here.

Details of our the audition evening here.

New members are welcome – please see our How do I join? page for more information.

Strong cast for The Gondoliers in March

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:25:30 +0000

We’re one month into rehearsals and pleased to announce that we have a very strong group of singers who are now tackling the music of The Gondoliers.

This well loved Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta will be the first performance of Mostly G&S. The dates of note are 26-27 March 2010 at The Oakwood Centre, Woodley, Reading. Performances will commence at 7.45pm.

Would you like to join in? If so it’s not too late, we have a busy rehearsal room but will always find space for newcomers. Read our How Do I Join? and Rehearsals pages to see how you could take part with us.

Mostly G&S is launched

admin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:41:45 +0000

We’re pleased to announce the first rehearsal for Mostly G&S attracted an enthusiastic band of men and women who wasted no time in tackling music from Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers, the first production for this group.

Setting a precedent for future plans everyone enjoyed relaxed chat over a pre-rehearsal cup of tea or coffee before producer Jill Morgan introduced the aims and ambitions of Mostly G&S. John Lawes then warmed everyone up with a simple chorale in four-part harmony before pointing his baton with ‘reckless delight’ at Dance a Cachucha. With a clitter-clitter-clatter and a pitter-pitter-patter, sopranos, altos, tenors and basses soon blended in a way that didn’t suggest a premier meeting of voices.

More participants are anticipated for Mostly G&S’s next rehearsal on 15 October. Read our How Do I Join? and Rehearsals pages to see how you could take part with us.