G&S needs a re-think for 21st century

11:48am Thursday 29th March 2007

WITH the news that Hereford Amateur Operatic Society has decided to change its name to reflect the times and give the group greater flexibility in programming, I can't help feeling that Hereford Gilbert & Sullivan Society needs to have a similar re-think.

Performing Johann Strauss's operetta Die Fledermaus in celebration of their 60th anniversary last week, audience numbers - on the first night at least - reflected the fact that the audience for three-act light opera is diminishing.

Martyn Harrison's direction seemed slightly uninspired to my mind, and two-and-a-half hours of misdemeanour and frivolity is a lot for an audience to sit through in this day and age.

The leads, however, all gave their all - and the saving grace was that one could happily listen to sopranos Laura Durman (Adele) and Linda Jackson (Rosalinda) all night.

Strong male performances from Cliff Spooner (Gabriel), Peter Rowberry (Dr Falke), Adrian Shakeshaft (Alfredo) and John Bezant (Frank) were all commendable and the casting for this rather complicated charade was spot on.

Credit must also go to Alan Durman - taking up the baton for the first time as musical director - who couldn't resist clambering on stage during Act Three as the drunken prison warder, Frosch.

Born for comedy, you can't keep a good man down - though the exuberance of the orchestra needed a little restraint in order to be able to hear all of the dialogue.