The Grand Duke

Music by Arthur Sullivan
Libretto by W.S. Gilbert

Sundays and Mondays, 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16 April 2012

The first fully staged professional UK production since 1896

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★★★★ Four Stars, The Public Reviews

In the Grand Duchy of Pfennig Halbpfennig, the theatrical troupe of Ernest Dummkopf is plotting a conspiracy to overthrow the tyrannical Grand Duke Rudolph. Ludwig, the troupe’s leading comedian, fights a number of “statutory duels” and finds himself taking the place and the title of the Grand Duke…but when legions of women arrive to claim Ludwig in marriage to become his Grand Duchess, including an indignant leading lady, an enormously wealthy old battleaxe, and even the Princess of Monte Carlo, how will matters resolve themselves?

With the aid of an eclectic array of travelling players and aristocrats, four weddings and enough sausage rolls to last several lifetimes, Gilbert and Sullivan’s final ‘Savoy Opera’ is full of Topsy Turvy paradoxes, legal conundrums and absurdities of etiquette. Far more than just a historical curiosity, The Grand Duke displays a much sharper satirical edge than any of Gilbert and Sullivan’s other works.

Apart from a concert version produced by D’Oyly Carte Opera Company in the mid-seventies and a handful of amateur productions, Gilbert and Sullivan’s final operetta, The Grand Duke, has not been seen in a fully staged professional production in the UK since the original production in 1896.

About Gilbert and Sullivan

Composer Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) and Librettist Sir William Schwenk Gilbert (1836-1910) collaborated on a total of fifteen quintessentially British comic operettas, most of which are continually performed all over the world with The Mikado and H.M.S. Pinafore being amongst the best known. Gilbert and Sullivan’s complete repertoire includes Thespis (1871), Trial by Jury (1875), The Sorcerer (1877), H.M.S. Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1879), Patience (1881), Iolanthe (1882), Princess Ida (1884), The Mikado (1885), Ruddigore (1887), The Yeomen of the Guard (1888), The Gondoliers (1889), Utopia, Limited (1893) and The Grand Duke (1896).

About The Director Martin Milnes

At the Finborough Theatre, Martin Appeared in Perchance to Dream (2011).
Performance credits include Utopia Limited (Buxton Opera House), Perchance to Dream (Finborough Theatre), The Pirates of Penzance (Kilworth House Theatre, Leicestershire), Little Shop of Horrors (White Bear Theatre), Much Sound and Little Sense (Opera della Luna), Thursford Christmas Spectacular (Thursford), Crazy For You (Kilworth House Theatre, Leicestershire), The Pirates of Penzance (National Tour for Carl Rosa Opera Company), Promises and Lies (Birmingham Rep), All Male Mikado (Union Theatre), Iolanthe, The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance (Carl Rosa Opera Company at the Gielgud Theatre), Tosca and Il Trovatore (Opus 1 Opera National Tour), La Boheme (Soho Theatre) and The Yeomen of the Guard (the Tower of London). Television includes Gilbert and Sullivan: A Motley Pair (Sky Arts), The Andrew Marr Show (BBC), Popstar to Operastar (ITV), Songs of Praise (BBC) and The Welsh in the West End (ITV Wales). Martin Milnes' most recent production The Falsetto received five star reviews at the Edinburgh Festival and has been seen at The Pheasantry, Buxton Festival and King’s Head Theatre. It has also been the support act for Alistair McGowan.

About The Musical Director John Owen Edwards

Studied at Worcester College, Oxford
For a number of years he was Music Director of the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, for which he has conducted Patience, The Yeomen of the Guard, H.M.S Pinafore, The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, Iolanthe, Orpheus in the Underworld, Die Fledermaus, The Count of Luxembourg and La Vie Parisienne.
Theatre includes Orpheus in the Underworld (Opera Holland Park), a series of Gilbert and Sullivan concerts (Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra), Les Miserables (Germany), The Mikado and The Gondoliers (D’Oyly Carte Opera Company), Orpheus in the Underworld (British Youth Opera), The Merry Widow and Die Fledermaus (Opera Holland Park), Beautiful and Damned (Lyric Theatre), Showboat (Broadway), Oklahoma! (National Theatre), The Wizard of Oz (Hong Kong) and The Yeomen of the Guard (British Youth Opera). Recordings include Kismet, West Side Story, Showboat, My Fair Lady, Kiss me Kate, The King and I, The Dancing Years, Anything Goes, South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof, Salad Days, Patience and Oliver!.

About The Costume Design House

The Costume Design House, founded in 2010 by Emma Lloyd and Christine Granger bringing experience from their backgrounds in both Art and Costume.  They have designed and supervised many projects most notably, designing the Off West End Theatre Award nominated They Came to a City (The New Actors Company at Southwark Playhouse) and Mixtape, the 2009 BAFTA nominated short film. Theatre includes Out of the Sun (The New Actors Company) andThe Marriage of Figaro (English National Opera). Film includes War Horse, Anna Karenina, Jack the Giant Killer and Tamara Drew. Television includes Downton Abbey and Spooks.

About The New Actors Company

The New Actors Company was founded in 2008. Their first production was A Dinner Party, devised and written by the company, and performed at the Camden Peoples Theatre. Since then they have presented three more productions in London: The Night Before Christmas (Barons Court Theatre), Out Of The Sun (Hen and Chickens Theatre) and They Came To A City(Southwark Playhouse).

About The Celebrating British Music Theatre Series

In 2006, the Finborough Theatre began the Celebrating British Music Theatre series with a sell-out production of Leslie Stuart’s Florodora. Productions since then have included sell-out rediscoveries of Lionel Monckton’s Our Miss Gibbs, Harold Fraser-Simson’s operetta The Maid of the Mountains, A "Gilbert and Sullivan" Double Bill featuring Gilbert’s play Sweethearts and Sullivan’s opera The Zoo, Dame Ethel Smyth’s opera The Boatswain’s Mate, Sandy Wilson’s The Buccaneer, Oscar Asche’s Chu Chin Chow, Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley's The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd and two shows by Ivor Novello – Perchance to Dream and Gay's The Word.

The Press on The Grand Duke

★★★★ Four Stars, The Public Reviews

"Sparkling musically, and performed with great wit and youthful enthusiasm, Martin Milnes' hilarious production of 'The Grand Duke' is like a breath of fresh air. It totally destroys the myth, once and for all, that Gilbert and Sullivan's last opera is a damp squib not worth reviving. On the contrary, the piece is a neglected classic.” Mike Leigh

“As ever with the Finborough, this is a class act, enthusiastically performed by the players and greatly appreciated by the audience.” Kensington and Chelsea Today

“In Martin Milnes' production The Grand Duke looks less like Gilbert and Sullivan's forgotten curiosity and more like an unduly neglected gem. It's wonderfully engaging: funny, fresh, and uncannily contemporary.” Gyles Brandreth

“The Finborough Grand Duke is a joy.” Tim Riley, Savoynet

“Hugely enjoyable.” Jon Wainwright, Atomies

“A pleasurable and entertaining evening. One can wonder at the well-directed cast and fantastic singing whilst frequently smiling about the silly and bizarre situations that the plot throws up.” Lindsay Stockley, One Stop Arts

“Thoroughly entertaining, with plenty of jokes and catchy tunes.” Carolin Kopplin, UK Theatre Network

"The Grand Duke is the final operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan but barely anyone knows it: The show hasn't had a full professional U.K staging since its 1896 premiere. Riding to its rescue comes the plucky Finborough Theater. The company's reputation for unearthing forgotten gems is unrivalled.” David Benedict, Variety

“The Finborough, as part of its Celebrating British Music Theatre series has gamely resurrected this all but forgotten operetta, giving it a respectable treatment with a sympathetic cast.”  Paul Vale, The Stage

“The Finborough Theatre have rediscovered G & S gem in The Grand Duke, their fourteenth and last Savoy Opera, which is currently receiving its first professional UK revival there.” Gareth Richardson, Bargain Theatre

“An absurd and amusing comic opera.” Lindsay Stockley, One Stop Arts

“The story contains a number of hilarious moments and funny characters, the music is cheery and flavourful.”  Carolin Kopplin, UK Theatre Network

“I enjoyed it so much that I'd go again if there was the smallest chance of getting a ticket, but the production is sold out for all performances.” Tim Riley, Savoynet

“Gilbert’s humour survives intact and there are still some laugh-out-loud moments in the libretto.” Paul Vale, The Stage

“The writing by Gilbert is quick witted and humorous.” Lindsay Stockley, One Stop Arts

“The performances are tip-top and now and then over-the-top, too, in exactly the right way…The Milnes company sing, dance and play it up a storm. What a treat.” Gyles Brandreth

“The hard working and dazzlingly talented chorus (of ten) are astonishing.” Tim Riley, Savoynet

“The standard of the cast is very high.” Carolin Kopplin, UK Theatre Network

“One can only gawp with astonishment at the commitment shown by the cast.” Michael Billington, The Guardian

“A powerful exhibition of talent.” Lindsay Stockley, One Stop Arts

“Top notch cast.” Russells-Theatre-Blog

“Martin Milnes’s production is…well sung and carried off with some chutzpah.” Sam Marlowe, The Times

“The direction is adroit and often exhilarating, and the cast most impressive.” Tim Riley, Savoynet

“Richard Suart as the peppery Grand Duke and Stefan Bednarczyk as the claimant to his title show all their professional expertise, Charlotte Page is memorably acidic as the jaundiced Julia, and Bruce Graham deserves special mention for his faultless articulation of a notary's convoluted number.” Michael Billington, The Guardian

“The four-strong male chamberlains headed by the fantastic Curtis Dabek provide a physically comical ensemble.” Lindsay Stockley, One Stop Arts

“The chorus…were bright and funny and engaging throughout.” Russells-Theatre-Blog

“The vocal strength of Victoria Byron…and Charlotte Page lift the score.” Gareth Richardson, Bargain Theatre

“Stefan Bednarczyk as Ludwig, Bruce Graham as Dr Tannhauser and Richard Suart as Rudolph are all excellent in recognisable Gilbert and Sullivan roles.” Paul Vale, The Stage

“Stefan Bednarczyk plays Ludwig with panache and a mischievous grin.”  Carolin Kopplin, UK Theatre Network

“Bednarczyck...holds everything together with considerable zest.” David Benedict, Variety

“Stefan Bednarczyk...his timing and delivery of Gilbert's lines are so funny one gasps for breath at times.”  Tim Riley, Savoynet

“Stefan Bednarczyk as Ludwig also does a fantastic job of principal male showing great charm.” Lindsay Stockley, One Stop Arts

“Stefan Bednarczyk sparkled gently as Ludwig.” Russells-Theatre-Blog

“Humorously played by Stefan Bednarczyk.” Gareth Richardson, Bargain Theatre

“Richard Suart is at his comic best as the miserly, money grubbing Grand Duke.”  Carolin Kopplin, UK Theatre Network

“Richard Suart excels himself as Rudolf; he is positively apoplectic in his dialogue before the Act II finale.”  Tim Riley, Savoynet

“Richard Suart hams it up magnificently as the titular Grand Duke.” Ian Foster, The Public Reviews

“It is Richard Suart…who excels most.” Gareth Richardson, Bargain Theatre

“Nicely unforced bass Martin Lamb graces the final scenes…” David Benedict, Variety

“Martin Lamb’s stunning voice resonates…it’s worth going just to hear him alone.” Gareth Richardson, Bargain Theatre

“Robin Rayner was very funny as Ben Hashbaz, a Costumier, and his dance was glorious.” Carolin Kopplin, UK Theatre Network

“Charlotte Page is particularly brilliant.” Lindsay Stockley, One Stop Arts

“Charlotte Page is simply outrageously fabulous… her not-inconsiderable vocal skills matched with some great comic timing to frequently steal the show.” Ian Foster, The Public Reviews

“It is the marvellous Charlotte Page who steals the show as Julia Jellicoe. Page not only does justice to Julia’s aria in the second act but she also possesses exquisite comic timing perfectly suited to Gilbert’s topsy-turvy world”. Paul Vale, The Stage

“The most easeful and exact comic performance comes from Charlotte Page. Her exquisitely judged Julia Jellicoe would give the late Madeline Kahn a run for her money.”  David Benedict, Variety

“John Owen Edwards's musical direction also does full justice to Sullivan's score.” Michael Billington, The Guardian

“Musical director John Owen Edwards has ensured the production simply bounces along with merriment, it’s full of life, containing some simply gorgeous harmonies.” Gareth Richardson, Bargain Theatre

“Both John Owen Edwards’s musical direction and Brendan Matthew’s choreogaphy are tight and bright.” Sam Marlowe, The Times

“Frequent and often humorous choreographic moments complement the music and singing very well, whilst making good use of the small amount of space and enriching the performance as a whole.” Lindsay Stockley, One Stop Arts

Sundays and Mondays, 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16 April 2012

Tickets and Times

Monday 7:30pm (Extra Monday matinees at 2.00pm on 9 and 16 April 2012)
Sunday 7:30pm

Approximately two and a half hours