What's the plot?

The plot of Iolanthe is well put by Mary Holtby*:

When your mother's a fay someone's certain to say, on observing her looks and agility:
'Your assertion that this is your Ma we dismiss; such a statement has no credibility';
When your filial embrace is pronounced a disgrace by the girl you're expecting to marry you,
And she flirts with the peers, and together their jeers are combining to mock you and harry you;
You may feel some relief from your fury and grief when the Queen of the Fairies enlightens them;
And, a Member 'elected', at last you're respected - nay more, your omnipotence frightens them -
You've regained your lost bride, and the fairies decide they will after those nobly-born gentry go,
While the Queen of them all is in amorous thrall to the private she's spotted on sentry-go ...
But you haven't won through for though Phyllis loves you,
The Lord Chancellor's scored - he will marry his ward,
And is deaf if not dumb to the pleas of your mum
Till she's forced to unveil the astonishing tale
That the husband she had is this Lord - he's your Dad!
So he can't marry Phyl but your mother is still
As a mere mortal's wife under threat of her life
Till the Queen mends the flaw in this Fairyland law
And makes weddings that were disallowed, de rigeur,
So the peers will explore terra nova
And with wings on their backs make immediate tracks for the Chamber Above -
And this triumph of love is the sign that the opera's over.

* In How to be Tremendously Tuned in to Opera

A final rehearsal

Marriage with deceased wife's sister

'He shall prick that annual blister: marriage with deceased wife's sister' sings the Queen of the Fairies in Iolanthe.

This was indeed a blister. The Marriage Act of 1835 specifically prohibited such marriages but there seems to have been constant pressure to revise this. A Bill was introduced in 1842, but defeated.

Quite coincidentally, I came across the attached recently in a newspaper of 1859 which shows that another attempt was made then. The thought of the lay peers interpreting the Bible and basing the law of the land on the Old Testament is, to me, pretty scary.

It was not until 1907 that an Act was passed allowing a man to marry the sister of their deceased wife. I wonder how many rushed out to do so.

Eek! - First performance delayed

The sudden illness of Strephon means that the first performance of this year's production, Iolanthe, has been delayed until 20 June at Perranwell. Just enough time to source another half fairy to take the leading role and to shuffle the peers.

May copious quantities of fairy dust restore 'old' Strephon to full health.

Can you resist Iolanthe?

It's downhill all the way to our first performance on 23 May at Falmouth Methodist Church (7:30 since you ask). Fresh from last year's rollicking Pirates, come and meet:

• Hilary Pheonix as the Queen of the Fairies. Not a lady to be trifled with


• Anna Scutt as Iolanthe, the fairies' favourite companion


• Penny Platts as the adorable Phyllis with whom everyone is naturally in love


• Sally-Ann Gretton (Kate or was it Edith?) as Celia


• Carolyn Hendra as Leila


• Geoff Pope as the half fairy (from the waist down) Strephon


• Alan Russell (formerly the Pirate King) as the lovelorn Lord Chancellor who has nightmares about riding bicycles across Salisbury Plain


• Tony Davy as the Earl of Mountararat


• Philip Feather (formerly Ralph Rackstraw) as the Earl Tolloller who sadly lacks any brain


• Max Braga as Private Willis of the Grenadier Guards, one of the finest examples of manhood

If you come in, you're sure to win ...


For a full list of venues, see the Programme page.

Early starts

Check the Programme page: we will be starting early (and finishing late) on the 9th and 15th of May.

Farewell Pirates ...

The Kenwin Barton Gilbert and Sullivan Singers have recently finished a very successful season of performances of the famous ‘Pirates of Penzance’.

With only a keyboard and an enthusiastic company of singers plus a few token accessories such as hats, flags and piratical implements, audiences all over Cornwall have been transported to the pirates’ lair as well as a ruined Cornish chapel by moonlight where the Major General faces his fears.
As always we, the G&S singers have managed to infect our audiences with the love and enthusiasm that we have for the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan. Over and over again the reaction has been – you so obviously enjoy yourselves and we have been drawn in. Church and village halls have rung to the laughter and applause. After a nominal charge to cover our expenses, we have enabled ten different organisations to raise money for their own funds, ranging from church roof to Cancer Research.

Along with our love for the humour and wit of Gilbert’s words which are as relevant today as they were when penned a hundred years ago, goes our appreciation of Sullivan’s memorable musicality. We love watching members of the audience tapping their feet to the well-known tunes and quietly mouthing the words along with the soloists.

At each venue we extend an invitation – do come and join us! We always welcome new members to our group and consider ourselves to be a warm, friendly and easily accessible crowd. We meet on a Wednesday evening from 7 to 9pm at Truro Prep School to rehearse during the winter and spring, ready to perform from May to October, with breaks for school holidays and half terms.
We have now left the pirates behind and are off to fairyland with another masterpiece – Iolanthe. This time we have fairies and members of parliament – such fun!

So what or who are we looking for? Anyone who enjoys singing and is prepared to give their time and energies to produce a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan’s wonderful work which will thoroughly entertain audiences however big or small, anywhere in Cornwall. We would particularly welcome men, young ones and those who are young at heart!

If you are reading this and thinking, yes, that could be for me! Get in touch with us – Please!

Carolyn Hendra 07834 585239 (mob) or Val Banks 01208 78648

A Rollicking Band of Pirates?

By the miracles of the new science of photography, we have been able to track down and record the faces of the famous Pirates of Penzance following a daring end-of-season raid on Mawnan Smith. Residents trembled in their seats as the Pirates sang their deadly songs and, with cat-like tread, stole their way into the village at night, spreading mayhem and frightening the General's daughters.

But evil was called to account when the members of the Local Constabulary, setting their unhappy lot aside and muttering tantantaras under their breath, bravely stood up to the vicious pirates. Mawnan Smith could once more sleep in peace. 

Performance programme announced

The 2012 Performance programme has now been announced (with three spare dates: roll up, roll up!). See here for the dates.

Pirates change into fairies

The Pirates have come to the end of their run and we disappear into the rehearsal room to transform ourselves into dainty little fairies and peers of the realm. Why not come along and learn with us.