A new production of one of Gilbert & Sullivan’s comic operas is coming to the Kirk Theatre in Pickering.

Patience is the latest collaboration between Tim Tubbs’ UK Foundation for Dance and Bill Scott’s Sandside Players.

Originally spoofing the sillier affectations of Oscar Wilde and the Aesthetic Movement of the 1870s-80s, Patience has been updated to a modern-day small town, where book club ladies and feisty festival director Lady Jane, are all after celebrity poet Reginald Bunthorne… who’s only interested in local barmaid Patience… and she’s only interested in rival poet Archibald Grosvenor… and he’s devoted to his art and his own beauty.

When the military arrive, the ladies just aren’t interested, and it’s the hearties versus the arties all over again.

“It’s tuneful, funny and a bit bonkers”, says Tim Tubbs, who co-directs, produces and plays Bunthorne. “We sing Sullivan’s terrific score exactly as he wrote it, but we’ve taken a few liberties with Gilbert’s witty dialogue, updating the jokes and patter-song lyrics here and there, to bring it closer to a modern audience.” Tim made his Pickering debut last year, playing Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady at the Kirk Theatre.

The cast of 17 features some familiar names in Pickering theatre, including Michael O’Brien. Rick Switzer-Green (both of whom featured in this year’s Oklahoma!) and Rebecca Kelly-Evans’ in the title role of Patience. Andrew Clay plays rival poet Grosvenor, while Lesley Machen, Linda Polkowski and newcomer Helen Cox play literary ladies Saphir, Ella and Angela opposite Dave Blaker, Hilary Watts and Rick Switzer-Green’s disgruntled army officers.

Playing book festival director Lady Jane in full drag and formidable falsetto is well-known local performer, musical director, composer and director Alex Weatherhill. Alex’s professional career, including West End, national and international tours, has seen him playing most of Gilbert & Sullivan’s leading mezzo roles, as well as sob-sister Mary Sunshine in the musical Chicago.

Live accompaniment is in the skilled hands of keyboard players Bill Scott and Andrew Davison, under the baton of Musical Director Jan Burtenshaw-Scott.

The show’s full cast: Rebecca Kelly-Evans (Patience), Tim Tubbs (Bunthorne), Andrew Clay (Grosvenor), Alex Weatherhill (Lady Jane), Helen Cox (Angela), Lesley Machen (Saphir), Linda Polkowski (Ella), Dave Blaker (Colonel Calverley), Rick Switzer-Green (Major Murgatroyd), Hilary Watts (Duke of Dunstable), also Roger Crowther, Michael O’Brien, Chris Gray, Liz David, Ruth Hutt, Pauline Newman and Louise Stanway.
Live accompaniment is in the skilled hands of keyboard players Bill Scott and Andrew Davison, under the baton of Musical Director Jan Burtenshaw-Scott.
Patience is at the Kirk Theatre at 7.30pm on Saturday, November 9.
Tickets are £15, concession £7.50.