Gilbert & Sullivan - Iolanthe (1988)

[pixietrix68]

This is good satire as meant in the original. I know the whole play is about politics, but this was one of the few songs I loved as the original. Not to put a downer on the updated lyrics- thats what G&S were all about but we still miss:

"This heart of mine id soft as thine, although I dare not say so" and "could thy brigade with cold cascade, drown my sweet love- I wonder". Some of the only soft sides shown of the Queen.

[urielstud]

She must watch the CBC LOL

[zaygezunt]

The music of Arhtur Sullivan and the words of WS Gilbert will always live through proiductions such as these, which capture the spirit of the original production. As an English girl, I am just so pleased that performers and audiences around the world still love these operettas.

[oboewizard]

I don't mind the re-written lyrics here and there. But I do object to the re-orchestrating Sullivan. There is no need. This production is mixed, but Maureen Forrester is a wonderful Fairy Queen - may she rest in peace.

[MopsusHears]

@Betterthanyoulknow Gilbert loved to poke fun at humourless pedants like you. The Savoy Operas are not holy writ. Lighten up!

[actingcat]

@MopsusHears I completely agree- the Captain Shaw was funny at the time because it was current but now its totally irrelevant. I'm doing Iolanthe now and no one laughs during this song because no one understands it anymore!

[pyglett]

Well, just think what could be done with Iolanthe since the expenses scandal! G&S loved for their operettas to keep up to date with events, so why spoil the 'Parties' any more than they've spolied themselves?

[BetterthanyouIknow]

The rewritten lyrics are very very bad. The mention of the Chief of the London Fire brigade in the original was not a "dig" at a man, it was an emotional plea, a rhetorical question-the Fairy Queen though that her heart was so afire with loving emotion she doubted that every fireman in London could pour enough water on it to quench it.

[MopsusHears]

@BetterthanyouIknow Gilbert would have loved to make fun of a humorous pedant like you. This production was trying to make this production appealing to the Canadian audience who attended this production, and they did an excellent job of it.

[canajaneh]

@BetterthanyouIknow

The rewritten lyrics are inspired - they bring a song that is otherwise lack lustre. Of course it's dated - but I used to watch the news read by Knowlton Nash on the CBC... zzzzzz.... which is why this is so funny.

[BetterthanyouIknow]

This production is not fabulous! Though it has excellant elements taken on their own, there are others that are simply awful. Low, vulgar humor, total lake of wit, complete lack of acting skill.

[CaballeroCatalan]

Well, I for one found it extremely entertaining to hear the Fairy Queen sing about the CBC :)

Can someone please upload more bits of the fabulous production? Maybe the finale?

[mrurc]

Gilbert and Sullivan intended that the lyrics be modernized and localized at points in their works that referenced things of their time. This is well documented. If you have a problem with people updating those areas, take it up with the original authors.

[90lysander]

@mrurc If "this is well-documented," can you provide documentation?

And I do feel there is a difference between changing the topical references here and there (as is done in the Australian Trial by Jury, where "rich as the packers" is substituted for "rich as the gurneys") and totally rewriting the song. This is the latter, unfortunately.

[tstsullivan797]

canadian lyrics in G+s??/ utterly idiotic. create your own operettas, canadians and leave our stuff alone!!

[ILuvMrD]

why did they change the lyrics? thats kinda stupid

[nclysander]

I'm not familiar enough with this particular G&S to notice outright, but I'm not a big fan of changing lyrics. That said, Maureen Forrester is awesome.

[rwexelblat]

Just awful! Terrible! Pray tell, what's wrong with Gilbert's words?

[Teatroliceo]

Modernising G&S lyrics is perfectly normal, don't be a twit. What's wrong is that they were topical commentary and in-jokes for West End London c. 1880. Putting on Iolanthe isn't about doing a historical reenactment, it's about doing a Show, and if you use all of the jokes that were written to be plainly obvious to the original audiences, you'll only be entertaining scholars of G&S esoterica, which wasn't G&S's target audience either.

[Teatroliceo]

I mean honestly, the "Captain Shaw" line that the Stratford Company has replaced here was a dig at a chap that G&S knew would be in the audience opening night. Do you know anything about him, or why it was funny to include him? Because I guarantee that 99% of the audience won't, and won't think it's funny, and G&S wrote the show To Be Funny. Keep the original words and you will fail to do G&S justice.

[shrimpsunited]

I understand changing a few of the words, but nearly all of them!!! :S

The bit before the song was good though :)

[Bfdidc]

I'm not a G&S purist and have no problem with modernizing bits (it's almost expected), but lyrically this version went a bit too far off the beam for my tastes. No reflection on the performers though. Maureen Forrester does a very nice job here and, from what I've seen of the other clips, this appears to be an above average performance.

[thejameslehman]

@Teatroliceo Perhaps 'dig' isn't quite the right word, but your point is a salient one, anyway.

[Teatroliceo]

@thejameslehman haha, okay agreed, and cheers :)

[compeld2sing]

Impeccable performance. I was in Iolanthe many years ago and I thought WE were good, but this is even better.

[quasiman8]

In 1987 when I was 14 I was in Iolanthe. Though I was just in the Chorus, still I enjoyed it.

[dandanod]

I loved playing Strephon in my school produuction over 20 years ago, still know all the words and lyrics. Wish I could play him again.

[Bfdidc]

After 20 years, maybe your top half could still play him. :)

[racehorse87]

Oh Stratford! I love their interpretation of G&S! :D

[argonaut1112]

man, you can't go wrong with gilbert and sullivan.

[jocon307]

@argonaut1112 AMEN brother, we need more of them in our lives today!