The Madison Savoyards are a theatre troupe based in Madison. They are named for the Savoy theatre in London. They perform works of musical theatre from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
But these were not the decades of disco and the Backstreet Boys, but the 1870s, 80s and 90s.
Their material originates from a century earlier, from the era of Victorian England, penned and scored by Sirs W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, respectively. Gilbert and Sullivan were the most prominent practitioners of the comic opera genre in England and, arguably, the world.
The Savoyards' choice this year, Utopia, Limited, was the penultimate creation between Gilbert and Sullivan. First staged in 1893, it is one of the least-performed works by the duo due its length (initially, it ran roughly 4 and a half hours), as well as its heavily satirical nature.
Although all of their operettas satirize the institutions of Victorian England to some extent, Gilbert and Sullivan pulled out all the stops for this show, and didn't bother to make their ridicule subtle.
The show takes place on the fictional island of Utopia, in the South Pacific. King Paramount's eldest daughter returns from her education in England, and brings with her six men who represent the tenets of English society and progress (referred to as the ""Flowers of Progress""). They transform the island nation, infusing many English customs and institutions into society.
However, the result is a civilization so efficient and prosperous that doctors, lawyers, and the military are out of work. The king's advisors note that their situation is nothing like that in England, where there is rampant unemployment, poverty, and strife.
In the midst of their coup, the king's daughter and the Flowers of Progress realize that they had forgotten about the most vital element of English government: government by party. That way, no legislative efforts last, as each party undoes the accomplishments of the previous party. Rejoicing ensues, as they are now a perfect imitation of England.
Clearly, such a premise is bursting with opportunity to lampoon English institutions. Chief among the targets is the hollowness and lack of substance and common sense in the military and courts.
However, the subject of satire was not limited to the elite class of England. Gilbert and Sullivan shared a somewhat stormy partnership, particularly near the twilight of their venture. They had thought, at the time of its conception, that this would be their final collaboration.
Each took this ""last"" show as a chance to jab at the other. Sullivan composed over-the-top and mildly ridiculous music for Gilbert's favorite characters, and Gilbert created a character that personified Sullivan's faults.
After the show, I had the chance to speak with three of the cast members: Alex Brown, Pat Doty, and Glenn Widdicombe.
Brown and Doty attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in Political Science/Russian Literature and Math/Music Education, respectively, while Widdicombe attends the University of Minnesota as a Theatre major. All three are freshmen.
Brown and Doty both appeared for the first time with the Savoyards in 2009's Yeomen of the Guard, but Utopia was Widdicombe's first outing with the group.
Although the material is not the typical fare of their age bracket, those who are interested find it infectious. There are no fair-weather fans of Gilbert and Sullivan.
""I actually hated Gilbert and Sullivan until [a friend] guilted me into it, and now I can't leave,"" recalled Brown.
Doty's roots with the group go much deeper than his peers, however.
""My parents actually met in a Madison Savoyards production (The Pirates of Penzance), so they've been pressuring me for a long time to do it.""
They also had some things to say about the relevance of Victorian-era comic opera in modern times.
""It's similar to Shakespeare, they're a great part of the culture,…the operatic culture, specifically, and they'll never not be funny anymore. And it's great music and great storylines,"" said Doty.
Widdicombe's favorite aspect was the characterization: ""That's the one I really like about Gilbert and Sullivan, how much they play on operatic cliches.""
Gilbert and Sullivan were well-known for lampooning operatic cliches in their shows by way of assigning the same character archetype to each voice. This was especially evident in Utopia, as one character laments that he is not, in either character or vocal capability, a classic tenor. This was the same character that was the personification of Sullivan's shortcomings.
Brown added, ""You listen to it so much, and it's still catchy at least 150 years later. And if you notice the audience's reaction, obviously, things don't change as much as you think.""
