In class on Thursday we began the landmark G&S film Topsy Turvy. This work is well known in the G&S realm, and on the whole, I believe, rather well-liked Early reviews from Savoyards truly in the know praise the accuracy of the work in its entirety, seeming willing to put aside the relatively minor anachronisms in favor of this very real portrayal of these people at this point in their famed careers. The G&S Archives has several reviews of the work, the most telling by SavoyNet notable Peter Parker. In his review, he emphasizes that the highlight performance in a movie filled with good performances was that of Jim Broadbent as W.S. Gilbert. It is true that Broadbent stands out, and his very true-to-life portrayal of the famed librettist is a delight to watch.
What might be a bit confusing to my classmates are some of the other characters portrayed in the movie. As man undoubtedly know (and which is of course obvious from what we've seen), Richard D'Oyly Carte was the impresario of the Savoy. It was at his urging that Gilbert and Sullivan first worked together, and he was a strong point in keeping the team working throughout their long joint career.
The characters that particularly interested me were the performers who were shown. Of course, the lead comic man, George Grossmith, was a very important figure in the realm of the Savoy Operas. Making his debut with G&S as John Wellington Wells in The Sorcerer, Grossmith was from that point on the primary patter man for the company. The original patter man, for both Thespis and Trial by Jury, was Fred Sullivan, Sir Arthur's brother. Unfortunately, Fred died before The Sorcerer came into being.
In the upcoming conclusion, you will get to see more of the performers. I encourage anyone who has any interest to look at Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte on the G&S Archives to get a better idea of who these people were, historically, before seeing them all at work in the premiere of Mikado. I believe this film is a wonderful portrayal.
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