Patience May 2019

Gilbert & Sullivan’s operas are famously British, but Maidenhead Operatic Society’s production of Patience, has sadly fallen victim to the topsy-turvyness of our ties to Europe!

We have been informed by the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead Council that they, along with all the other councils in the UK, have been advised to prepare for possible European Elections on May 23rd, and this means that the society is unable to use the Desborough Theatre as planned.

Sadly we have been unable to find another suitable venue at such short notice and therefore have had to make the decision to cancel the fully staged version of the show that we had intended to produce from 15th to 18th May.

Naturally we are very disappointed; however we are delighted to announce that instead we will be producing a semi-staged concert version of Patience on Friday 17th of May, at Bourne End Community Centre. Booking details below.

The concert will include all of Sullivan’s beautiful music and Gilbert’s comic libretto, in a one night only treat.


Director – Lucy Seymore

Musical Director – David Hazeldine

Written when both Gilbert and Sullivan were at their artist height, Patience; or, Bunthorne’s Bride, is a comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. The opera is a satire on the aesthetic movement of the 1870s and ’80s in England and, more broadly, on fads, superficiality, vanity, hypocrisy and pretentiousness; it also satirizes romantic love, rural simplicity and military bluster.

Cast

Patience – Cat Thompson
Grosvenor – Dan Fletcher
Lady Jane – Sally Ellis
Bunthorne – Paul Seddon
Lady Angela – Cathy Spooner
Lady Saphir – Imogen Fletcher
Lady Ella – shared between Miranda Oliver and Petronella Kereszturi
Colonel – Andrew Few
Duke – Seann Wilkinson
Major – Geoff Lavers