Gondoliers 2016 (Harrogate)
"The Gondoliers" was LOpSoc's 2016 Summer Show, and was also performed at the International G&S Festival on August 17th in Harrogate. Four of our cast members have been nominated for the UniFest 2016 Awards: Sophie Brant (best character actress), Billy Boulton (best character actor), Barnaby Wilson (best character actor) and Amber Courage (best costumes).
Marco and Giuseppe are two merry republican Venetian gondoliers, recently engaged to Gianetta and Tessa. What is their surprise when, right after their wedding, the Spanish inquisitor Don Alhambra shows up and reveals that one of them is no other than the King of Barataria!
The inquisitor stole the baby prince from Barataria many years ago and brought him to be raised by a gondolier in Venice. Said gondolier died when Marco and Giuseppe were younger, and now the only person who can identify the true King is Inez, the lady who nursed the royal baby back in Barataria. Now with the death of the former King, it is imperative that Marco and Giuseppe leave immediately and assume the throne as one individual. There is only one little problem: ladies are not allowed in the court of Barataria, and so Gianetta and Tessa must remain in Venice...
That, in fact, is just an excuse made up by Don Alhambra. The truth is, the prince of Barataria was married in infancy to Casilda, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Plaza-Toro. Casilda herself didn't know about her husband, and is desolate when her parents tell her the truth. She is secretly in love with Luiz, her father's servant, and now her dreams seem more impossible than ever before...
Are the gondoliers going to succeed in bringing their republican ideals to Barataria? What will happen when Gianetta and Tessa find out that either Marco or Giuseppe was already married to Casilda? Will the Plaza-Toros regain their status and fortune? Will Don Alhambra find Inez and finally solve this confusion?
Love, gondolas, political ideals, mistaken identities and all the classic G&S plot tweaks and twists meet in Harrogate this Summer!
Production Team[edit]
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Director | Joe Hand |
| Director | Owen Perring |
| Assistant Director | Vikie Miller |
| Choreographer | Emily Gray |
| Musical Director | Renata SK |
| Musical Director | George Smith |
| Producer | Jeremy Hunt |
| Wardrobe Manager | Amber Courage |
| Assistant Producer | Guillemette Rident |
| Technical Director | Edmund King |
| Lighting Designer | David Young |
Cast[edit]
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Marco | Barnaby Wilson |
| Giuseppe | Stephen Woolford |
| Gianetta | Mara Zimmerman |
| Tessa | Sophie Brant |
| Duke Plaza-Toro | David Child |
| Duchess | Venetia Matthews |
| Casilda | Amy Wardle |
| Luiz | Ben Walker |
| Don Alhambra | Billy Boulton |
| Inez | Rhiannon Creffield |
| Fiametta | Amber Courage |
| Vittoria | Katie Giles |
| Antonio | Richard Kille |
| Giorgio | Jamie Hizzett |
| Chorus | Nadia Fundell |
| Chorus | Rhona Graham |
| Chorus | Joe Hand |
| Chorus | Tom Hudson |
| Chorus | Steve Jenkins |
| Chorus | Jaime Lomeli |
| Chorus | Abby Pardoe |
| Chorus | Owen Perring |
| Chorus | Renata SK |
| Chorus | Lucia Watts |