Review of Ruddigore or the Witch’s Curse by Gilbert and Sullivan

The Broadway musical was not born on Broadway.

It all began at the Savoy Theatre in London with the scintillating work of WS Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. These titans of theatre created a particular kind of operetta, full of charm and mischievous wit, rich in melodies, with surreal comedy that challenged current norms, all presented radiantly with innovative stage design, naturalistic staging (by Gilbert, perhaps the first director of auteur theatre) and a perverse language that rivalled that of Rossini.

It was a new kind of musical theatre that had never been seen or heard before, and it was a sensation. Their late Victorian work has never been equalled. It is a unique creation. Once heard, you know exactly who wrote it.

Their tenth collaboration, Ruddigore or the witch’s curse (1887), exhibited for a very short time by the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston, winner of numerous awards, had the misfortune of following the exceptional success of the team The Mikadoan international success from its premiere. It was a difficult show for the duo to follow. The show ran for eight months, but the reviews were not glowing.

Critics did not approve of the ghost music, with one even going so far as to criticize it for being in the wrong key! They maligned the second act where the ghosts of Robin’s ancestors come to life, step out of their frames, and interact with the other characters; the set had problems; the lead tenor got sick and would be out of action for a month; and they hated the title. It was originally called “Ruddygore,” which reminded them of the English word “bloody,” an iconic swear word. No young girl would ever say such a title.

Yes, the second act drags a little, as we are far from the sunny Cornish coast of Act I and find ourselves in the dark hall of the cursed Murgatroyds’ castle, whose ancestral ghosts come to life and torment the last baron, our hero Robin Oakapple. It is wonderfully silly and satirical, and in no way deserves the barbs that were hurled at it at its premiere. Gilbert loved the work, perhaps because it was about his unloved child, and he reworked the libretto with new music by the composer Sullivan. But Ruddigore was not a success with the public and was never covered during the duo’s lifetime.

But if the critics had lived long enough to see G&S Society’s output, I think they would have changed their minds.

What a wonderful, inventive, colorful production! This is the best show the Society has presented in seasons. Conducted with a sure, authoritative hand by Buck Ross, as if Gilbert’s ghost had sat and whispered on his shoulder, the musical is of a piece. The cast is nearly perfect. The conducting by Opera in the Heights maestro Eiki Isomura and the orchestral playing are thrilling.

And set designer Jodi Bobrovsky’s picture-book look, aided by Ross’s CGI projections of fog and lightning or the choppy sea shifting from blue to black, is breathtaking. The costumes by Kat Jedlicka and the Performing Arts Supply Company are vibrant with life, as is Christina Giannelli’s mood lighting. Even the editing is clever and genuinely funny. Nothing is overplayed, overblown, overblown.

As always, Sullivan’s music is sublimely melodic. He hated writing for the stage and felt it was unbecoming of a classical composer. The story is a funny thing. Sullivan, who wrote oratorios, hymns (“Onward, Christian Soldiers”), operas and concert pieces, is best known for his “theatrical” work with Gilbert. This is no surprise. He can write in any style: a ditty, a gavotte, folk, a love ballad, a choral hymn. Each piece is new and works in its context. Playful and scintillating, Sullivan’s music constantly surprises.

And then there is Gilbert. No librettist has ever matched his peerless genius. Not even Sondheim can match him for the inexhaustible brilliance of his words. Every writer since owes him a debt, for he defined the role of the lyricist: fast-paced, character-driven, a deft blend of Dickensian filigree and divinely inspired wit. Gilbert is the lyricist par excellence, delivering swashbuckling songs and love lyrics with equal aplomb. Sullivan matches him in every way with melodies that linger in the ear. Under Gilbert and Sullivan, the association of words with music is unparalleled.

There is not a single flaw in the entire cast. Wesley Landry (the sweetest voice), Thomas O’Neill (the cheekiest voice), Dennis Arrowsmith (the mustache-twirling voice), Lisa Borik Vickers (the most soprano voice), Meaghan Heath (the best voice), Jana Ellsworth (the comic voice), Richard Paul Fink (the deepest voice), and the supporting voices Riley Vagis, Chloe Owens, Johnny Salvesen and the exceptional choral work are the best in the world. They studied their G&S and received top marks.

The problem is that the Society is only playing three more performances. Ruddigore is a show to spend a pleasant summer time. It is musical comedy at its best. Go on, let yourself be dazzled by the Victorian charm, it is priceless.

Ruddigore continues at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 21, 7 p.m. Saturday, July 27, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 27 at the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston at the University of Houston’s Cullen Performing Hall, 4300 University Drive. For more information, call 832-842-3131 or visit gilbertandsulllivan.org. $49 to $94.