Iolanthe 2003

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Iolanthe was the 31st show performed by the society. It was performed in Central Hall from 20th-22nd February 2003.

The chair was Grant Hoyle.

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Programme

Directors

Director
Linda Westwood

Musical Director
Mark Swinton

Technical Director
Oliver Fisher

Cast

Lord Chancellor- Alex Holland
Lord Mountararat- Nick Temperley
Earl Tolloller- Chris Charlton
Private Willis- Grant Hoyle
Stephon- Charlie Pywell
Phyllis- Joy Ruff
Queen of the Fairies (Poppy)- Penny Grant
Iolanthe (Yellow Iris)- Rebecca Mellor
Celia (Wild Cherry Blossom)- Susannah Prins
Leila (Cornflower)- Emily Price
Fleta (Pansy)- Jenny Share

The House of Lords
James Butterworth, Marquis of Bruichtaddich
Viscount Stuart Gallagher of Laphroaig
Alex Gurney, Marquis of Talisker
Grant Hoyle, Earl of Lagavulin
Viscount Nick Lay of Dalwhiney
Alex Mortlock, Lord of Edradour
Baron J. Mark Pim of Dunhaben
Earl Michael Prior-Jones of MacAllen
Steven Purvis, Laird of Ardbeg
Peter Stevens, Baron of Bowmere
Count Matthew Sweet of Oban
Philip Walker, Viscount Glenfarkas

The Fairies
Caz Bennett, Forget-Me-Not
Charlotte Biddle, Rose-Hip
Amy Cooper, Windflower
Elli Course, Mountain Ash
Sian Dowson, Shirley Poppy
Fiona Dunthorne, Primrose
Ellie Farrow, Blackthorn
Gemma Ludgate, Lavender
Anna Penton, Laburnum
Nicola Randall, Polyanthus
Sarah Roberts, Heliotrope
Charlotte Santry, Almond Blossom
Cat Smallwood, Harebell

Production Team

Stage Manager- Heidi Starling
Lighting- Simon Thompson
Sound- Oliver Fisher
Crew- Dave Baker, Keith McKillop, Vishal Patel
Set Design- Oliver Fisher, Jenny Share
Set Construction- Oliver Fisher, Jenny Share, Dave Baker, Nick Temperley and members of the society
Costumes- Linda Westwood, Penny Grant, Philippa Malas, members of the society
Choreographer- Barbara Cichon
Make-up- Members of cast
Programme Design- Penny Grant & Caz Gillman
Posters- Penny Grant

Orchestra

Violin- Sarah Varney (leader), Ben Holbourn, Anna Smith, Clare Taylor, Cordelia Williams
Viola- Kath Cooper, Zami Jalil, Neill Jackson
Cello- Claire Laughton
Oboe- Frances Jones, Ellen Wakeham
Flute- Corinne Bass, Sarah Boggis, Rachel Lewis, Jenny Wrigley
Clarinet- Caz Gillman, Louise Gaskell
Cornet- Ian Blenkinsop, Rebecca Briscoe
Horn- Andrew Cowley, Victoria Huntington
Percussion- James Taylor
Synthesiser- Matthew Collins

Repetiteur- Mark Swinton
Rehearsal Pianist- James Taylor

Committee

President- Thomas Round
Vice-President- Bruce Walton
Honorary Vice-President- Frank Banks

Chair- Grant Hoyle
Secretary- Alex Gurney
Treasurer- Jenny Share
Press & Publicity- Caz Gillman, Penny Grant
Ordinary Members- Alex Holland, Stuart Gallagher, Anna Penton, Isy Mead

Videos

My well-loved lord

Extended Programme

Director- Linda Westwood
A second-year Literature and Linguistics student, Linda joined the society last year as stage manager for The Mikado, but she sang along so vigorously that she decided (well in fact, the other techies told her) to be on the stage. It seems she took one step too many… She would like to say thank you to the entire cast, who have made her work thoroughly enjoyable. Fifteen Lords a-marching are certainly a force to be reckoned with!

I believe in fairies!

Musical Director- Mark Swinton
Mark Swinton is an MA student in the Music Department. He first became involved with Gilbert and Sullivan during the final year at the King's School, Chester, when he played the Lord Chancellor in Iolanthe. Since coming to York in 1999, he has served as repetiteur for the productions of Pirates of Penzance (2000), The Sorcerer (2001), The Mikado (2002) as well as playing for the summer shows and various concerts. Outside of the University, Mark is the Organ Scholar of Selby Abbey and a founder member of the RSCM Millennium Youth Choir. He works regularly as a recitalist and accompanist.

Technical Director- Oliver Fisher
Last year's show (Oliver's first with the society) was soooooooo enjoyable that he was itching to get a second bite at the cherry. No sarcasm intended. Thankfully no-one else wanted to be technical director for Iolanthe (surprisingly) so he is. Oliver is a second-year linguist who likes to have fun in his spare time…

I am extremely cynical about the existence of fairies.

Cast

Lord Chancellor- Alex Holland
Unwilling to be typecast, Alex has resolved for the second year running to audition for the soprano lead in the next show. Forced out of the title role (previously he has played the Mikado and the Sorcerer), he initially demanded a matching yellow iris costume, but is rather pleased with his big wig.

Lord Mountararat- Nick Temperley
After taking on the role of the society's spiritual leader in The Sorcerer, Nick fled the country to study biology in a quaint Bavarian dialect for a year. As one of the haughtiest noblemen in Great Britain, Nick combines the vocal splendour of Pavarotti with the light-footed dancing grace of Wayne Sleep. (Or should that be the other way round?)

Earl Tolloller- Chris Charlton
Always charming, suave and immaculately dressed, Chris's main complaint about this year's show is once again not being allowed to take his costume home. He is looking forward to the challenge of hitting higher noted than any man decently should. As a devout Christian, Chris is praying tonight goes well and he doesn't embarrass himself more than necessary.

Private Willis- Grant Hoyle
Grant's previous two years in the society have been highly enjoyable, largely as an undistinguished member of the chorus. He says it has been a pleasure and a challenge to play Willis this year and hopes to return to G&S in his life after university.

Stephon (an Arcadian shepherd)- Charlie Pywell
Charlie stumbled into the role of Strephon by talking to the wrong person at the wrong time in the pub. Having played Danny in Grease and Bill Sykes in Oliver, it is about time he took to the more musically serious style of G&S. He has enjoyed being half a fairy so much that it may well inspire him to research the historical significance of fairyhood for his History dissertation.

Phyllis (a Ward of Chancery)- Joy Ruff
Joy is a 4th-year French and Linguistics student whose chief talent consists of an outstanding ability to squeak like a guinea pig. Not yet having been able to find a suitable field for her talent, she has been obliged to enforce her lesser charms on the world of G&S. Last year she escaped to Aix-en-Provence, but having realised that she will never be able to persuade the French of the joys of cricket or G&S, she has now returned to England to enjoy her new-found love of sheep on wheels.

Queen of the Fairies (Poppy)- Penny Grant
Penny was lured into her third principal role with the society by the promise of immortality- there aren't many leading alto roles in G&S that don't involve copious make-up wrinkles. She is currently investigating the difference between white and black daisies, but sensibly spends the majority of her time drawing pictures of fairies instead.

Iolanthe (Yellow Iris)- Rebecca Mellor
One of the reasons Rebecca came to York was this production of Iolanthe. She could hardly believe her luck when all her wishes came true and she got the title role! As a first-year music student, this is her first show with the society, but she has also played parts in Pirates and Pinafore, as well as principal roles in Carousel, Magic Flute, and Fiddler on the Roof.

Celia (Wild Cherry Blossom)- Susannah Prins (Sponsored by the Willow Restaurant)
Susannah is a first-year Art Historian from Deepest, Darkest Devon. After uni, she would like to go into opera, History of Art being an obvious route into that profession… previous roles have included Sandy in Grease and Nancy in Oliver, and she has also appeared in The Importance of Being Earnest and She Stoops To Conquer.

Leila (Cornflower)- Emily Price (Sponsored by the York Light Opera Society)
Emily has come all the way from Chicago to do her MA in Medieval Archaeology. As an American, she is continually learning new things about the strange an exotic UK, although she can't seem to remember that "pants" means something different here. She finds our accents adorable.

Fleta (Pansy)- Jenny Share (Sponsored by KopyKatz Hairdressers)
After two years of being centre stage in previous performances with G&S, the directors have finally realised her greatness and given her an actual role, thus fulfilling her childhood dream of being an actress- though thankfully not allowing her to sing on her own. Phew!

Letter to the Secretary

Dear Alex,
We have been to at least 27 of the 31 productions of the G&S operettas performed by your society and we feel that this year's production of Iolanthe has to rate as one of the best yet.

The principals, the chorus, the orchestra and the staging were all of a truly high calibre and the enthusiasm displayed by all involved in the performance combined to make it into an excellent all-round show.

I shall be grateful if you will kindly convey our thanks and congratulations to all concerned.

Yours sincerely,

Tony and Ann Gregory.

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