The Yeomen of the Guard
Performances 11-14 November 2015
Director | Virginia King |
Musical Director | Ian Stone |
Sergeant Meryll | Trevor Allen |
Leonard | Lloyd Walsh |
Dame Carruthers | Brenda Judd |
Wilfred | Colin Bousfield |
Phoebe | Jane Johnson |
Lieutenant | Peter Grove |
Elsie | Selena Hegarty |
Jack Point | David Longes |
Fairfax | Neil Williams |
Kate | Carolyn Burnley |
1st Yeoman | David Clark |
2nd Yeoman | Stephen Tickell |
Yeomen | Milos Machacek, Julian Warner-Edney |
Villagers | Pam Patch, Mary Grove, Margaret Longes, Carol Coslett |
Stage Manager | Stephen Tickell |
Lighting | David Ames |
Front of House | Julie Bickerdike |
Set Design | Gini King |
Construction | Stephen Tickell, Julian Warner-Edney, Neil Williams |
Painting | David Clark |
Costumes | Gini King (Yeomen by Lois Hatt) |
Poster design | Stephen Tickell |
Photos | Mick Mercer |
Yeomen is perhaps the most emotionally engaging of the Savoy Operas, ending with a broken-hearted main character and two very reluctant engagements, rather than the usual numerous marriages. The libretto contains considerable humour, including many pun-laden one-liners, but Gilbert's trademark satire and topsy-turvy plot complications are subdued in comparison with the other Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The dialogue, though in prose, is quasi-Shakespearian, or early modern English, in style.
Many believe that the score is Sullivan's finest. Indeed, some enjoy Yeomen particularly because of its ever-changing emotional balance of joy and despair, love and sacrifice.
Photos by Mick Mercer