I was going to review Rocky Horror tonight, but I've left it so long I've found I can't remember a thing about it. I know I enjoyed it, but just saying that doesn't make for much of a review. So I thought I'd skip it and review Patience instead. Patience is a Gilbert and Sullivan and it was put on by Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group. It follows the story of Patience, the simple milkmaid, who has never been in love. And she's very glad about that, because it seems to be making all the other ladies thoroughly miserable. They're all madly in love with the poet Bunthorne, who doesn't return their love, because he's in love with Patience. Then, Patience's childhood sweetheart Archibald arrives back in the area. He and Patience fall in love, but Patience rapidly realises that she mustn't love him because he's perfect and therefore her loving him would be selfish, and not real love. But she tells him to feel free to love her because she's plain ("Yes, that's true"), so his loving her wouldn't be selfish. As soon as the other ladies see Archibald they immediately transfer their love from Bunthorne to him, and Patience decided to selflessly sacrifice herself and love Bunthorne. However, she eventually confesses to Bunthorne that she really loves Archibald. Angry Bunthorne tells Archibald to become an ordinary man or he'll curse him. Archibald agrees, mostly to escape the cloying affections of the other ladies. When he has done so, he loses some of his perfection in Patience's eyes, leaving her free to love him, and so the whole mess is resolved! The ladies all go back to their old fiances, and Bunthorne ends up alone. I do love a good ridiculous Gilbert and Sullivan plot!
Interestingly this production had a shortage of women. Usually it's men who are in short supply. I enjoyed the sets and costumes and everyone's performances, though Patience was a bit serious. I like my Gilbert and Sullivan done frivolously. But great music, great songs, and a very enjoyable show.
No comments:
Post a Comment