AS LONG as there are energetic companies dedicated to fleshing out the subtleties of William S. Gilbert's language and the beauty of Arthur S. Sullivan's score, audiences will never tire of watching the rich legacy of operettas the British team left behind. And audiences this week will delight in the Harvard Gilbert and Sullivan Players' production of Iolanthe, with its strong ensemble of superb voices, good acting and creative staging, that more than live up to the tradition of fine performances the company has built up over the years.
From the very first scene, in which a troupe of fairies cavorts about the stage, the audience is immersed in a world of magic, created not only by the intricacies of the typically complicated G&S plot but also by the exuberance of the chorus' movements as their characters clumsily try to dance together. Strong voices are complemented by clever staging, as the brightly colored fairies set the hypnotic tone for the rest of the production.
With its cast of fairies, including a queen and banished fairy with a half-mortal son. Iolanthe becomes a humorous saltine of the English peerage system, as the fairies encounter a group of snobbish nobles, both liberal and conservative. Iolanthe may be dated, but the G&S production never gets bogged down by its situations, and it reveals the timeless hilarity of such stock characters as fairies and nobles who gradually unravel the stereotypes that bias their views of each other.
Several scenes and individual performances, display particularly well the company's adept balancing of fidelity to the script and score with innovative and animated staging. The male chorus of peers, for example, staggers the audience in its wonderful first number, thundering the line "bow, bow, you lower middle classes," complete with characteristic pompous gesturing.
Rebecca Downs plays the shepherdess Phyllis, with whom all the peers fall in love. She has a petulant soprano voice that warbles beautifully while she reveals her character's spoiled naivetes. She spins a web that entraps not only the nobles and the half-mortal, Strephen (Jay Kelly), but also her aged guardian, the Lord Chancellor (Dennis Crowley).
Crowley turns in the evening's most stupendous performance, his voice clear and vibrant for his quickly-paced solos about why he became a lord chancellor and the insomnia from which he suffers. He acts superbly with each character, especially in a trio with his two compatriots, the heads of both political parties. Crowley's Loed Chancellor tries to prevent Phyllis' marriage to Strephen, who unbeknown to him is his son by Iolanthe, the fairy who was banished for marrying the lord because he is a mortal.
Jay Kelly's Strephon is a better actor than singer, most likely because his voice seemed strained from too many performances. His excellent portrayal of the confusion of being half-mortal and half-fairy is most poignant as he croons for his bellowed, shepherdess. Phyllis, Julis Friedi's Iolanthe is delightful, although she spends little time on stage. When she does appear, her rough also blasts out, revealing an unusual voice that contrasts well with the others.
The fairy queen controls the fate of all the characters, reprieving Iolanthe, helping Strephon rewin his beloved Phyllis, and letting love conquer laws and regulations. And Nan Hughes' Queen stands out with her rich voice and majestic stage presence, ultimately enabling all to live happily ever after.
EVERYTHING GOES nearly perfectly throughout the entire production: the only flaw is the orchestra's occasional off-key playing, which occurred four or five times during last Saturday night's performance. But, for the most part, the musicians do a good job, never overpowering the beautiful voices on stage. The stage itself is impressive, living up to the magnificent set constructed for last fall's production of Ruddygore. While it is not as breathing as Ruddygore, its pastoral and then parliamentary simplicity sets the lyrical tone for the entire production.
Iolanthe moves quickly, making use of the multi-faceted talents of its cast. Dancing plays a greater part in this production than in most G&S shows, enabling the actors to keep moving constantly while on stage. The costumes are simple and brightly-colored, and like the set they add a magical tone to the show. Truly, an ensemble effort, Iolanthe is not just a straightforward rendition of standard G&S fare. With its energetic interpretation of the plot and music, the show allows the talents of the entire cast to shine, illustrating just why G&S operates will continue to be performed for years to come.
