Pinafore sets sail (with its Jury in tow)

Hark, the witching hour has sounded ...

We are back in business after our first rehearsal on Wednesday and raring to be sailing the ocean blue.

If you have spent the summer wondering how you are going to spend your long winter evenings, or whether you should join a singing group, then there is still plenty of time to have a go with us. There is no formal audition and you can give it a go free of any commitment. Come along and try it.

We are certain you will soon be captivated by Sullivan's wonderful music and will wander home humming '... and a good judge too!' or '... and his cousins and sisters and his aunts!'

Our rehearsal schedule and location is set out on the accompanying page (see Programme). The audition dates for principal roles - for the more ambitious - has not yet been set but should be 'sometime before November'.

Farewell Titipu, hello Pinafore and the law courts

So that was the end of our 2016 Mikado run. Well done everyone.

We now get the summer off to start our private rehearsals for HMS Pinafore and Trial by Jury. Click here for practice files for Trial and Pinafore 

And we need more singers (especially men and extra especially tenors!) so anyone who wants to join us, let us know.

There are sixteen parts up for grabs ranging from the Foreman of the Jury with his one solo line to full parts for grown-ups so start practising.

Autumn rehearsal schedule

The Autumn rehearsal schedule has been published. See the Programme page.

Under way ...

Would you tangle with Katisha in one of her moods?

A very humane Mikado with 'perfectly correct' manners

Three little girls

Less than a week to go

The first performance of the Mikado - our 2016 production - will be at Perranarworthal Village Memorial Hall at 7:30 on Friday 6 May.

Don't miss it!

The final straight ...

Yes, we almost there.

The choruses are perfect. The soloists are exploring the darker corners of their arias. The duets, trios, madrigals and ensemble work are embued with lightness, wit and charm ...

Don't miss our opening night on Friday 6 May a Perranwell Village hall.

Another little list ...

The following is the result of an idle moment of sleep between choruses:

As some day it may happen that a victim must be found,
I've got a little list — I've got a little list
Of society offenders who might well be underground,
And who never would be missed — who never would be missed!
There’s the Musical Director who the choir has to fear
Except the double basses who are only here for beer.
She makes us get our breathing right, and makes us stand up straight
She says that if we don’t then she’ll inflict a cruel fate.
And then there is her side kick – who she calls ‘accompanist’
They’d neither ‘f ‘em be missed – they’d neither ‘f ‘em be missed

There’s the 'juvenile' sopranos singing on the highest Cs
They’re hoping to be kissed – I’ve got them on my list
And the altos in the second row who can be such a tease
They’re music terrorists – I’m sure they won’t be missed
While the tenors in the middle can be wayward with their notes
It’s sometimes rather difficult to sort out sheep and goats
The basses at the back just keep on growling like some bear
They say that they are keeping up but who knows what and where
And at the front, the dreaded sight: the pompous soloists.
My dear! Those soloists – they’d none of them be missed.

Mikado casting

The eagerly awaited news of who will be doing the hard work this year is now out. There are two new faces whom we welcome to the front row.

Nanki Poo - Farran Roland 

Pooh Bah - Alan Russell (Pooh Bar and every other major Baritone part)

Ko Ko - Hugh Slater (Sir Despard, Grand Inquisitor ...)

Pish Tush - Philip Feather (Earl of Mountararat ...)

The Mikado - Max Braga (Uncle Roderick, Private Willis ...)

Yum Yum - Sally Ann Gretton (Rose Maybud, Patience and all the leading Soprano parts)

Pitti Sing - Anna Scutt (Mad Margaret ...) 

Peep Bo - June Stevenson

Katisha - Shirley Harrison

An insignificant chorus of Gentlemen of Japan and Schoolgirls will accompany this firmament of stars and provide stand-ins when required.

The Tit Replies to Mr Gilbert

On the bank of a river a gentleman sat,
Oh willow, titwillow, titwillow!
And he talked to a tit on a willow at that,
Singing 'Willow, titwillow, titwillow!'
I in fact am a swallow - the tree was an elm -
Not the uncommonest things in the realm -
But that's what you get with an ass at the helm
With his 'Willow, titwillow, titwillow!'

He claimed that I dived in the billowing wave
Singing 'Willow, titwillow, titwillow!'
With a sob and a sign to a suicide's grave
With 'Willow, titwillow, titwillow!'
From the top of the stream I was taking a fly,
And I certainly uttered a satisfied cry;
But the rest of the story is simply my eye!
It was swallow, elm, swallow, elm swallow!

PG

Dates for your diaries

See the Programme page for the dates of our Mikado performances in 2016.