Gilbert and Sullivan's Kaleidoscope of Culture

Tuesday, 14 November 2017 17:37

For nearly 150 years, Gilbert and Sullivan have pervasively influenced popular culture in the English speaking world. They have addressed gender stereotyping in their operas, with characters such as Katisha of ‘The Mikado’ and the Fairy Queen from ‘Iolanthe’, blurring the lines between masculine and feminine gender conventions of the time. Lines and quotes from Gilbert & Sullivan operas have made their way into everyday usage. Phrases such as ‘short, sharp shock’, "What never? Well, hardly ever!", "A policeman's lot is not a happy one” and ‘let the punishment fit the crime’ are used today, along with ‘Pooh-bah’, a phrase used to describe someone who is self-important or high-ranking, who either exhibits inflated self-importance or has a position and title, but with no real authority.

On Saturday 18^th November 2017 the Hull Savoyards will perform the first of three concerts on the theme of Gilbert and Sullivan and culture.   “The concerts are the perfect way for Savoyards to play their part in the Hull City of Culture 2017.  It will show how Gilbert and Sullivan  reflected culture in all its forms.   For example, Japanese culture in ‘The Mikado’;  the cultured aristocrats of the House of Lords in ‘Iolanthe’; the highbrow culture of Oscar Wilde in ‘Patience’. and everything is illustrated with wonderful songs.”

Audiences throughout Hull and the East Riding will find they can attend the concert near their homes.  It’s at several venues including Cottingham, Willerby and  Hornsea as follows;

18^th November 2017   The Floral Hall, Hornsea

25^th November 2017  The Cottingham Civic Hall.

2^nd December2017 The Willerby Methodist Church.

The performances commence at 7.30 pm.

Tickets are £7.00 and available at the door.