Fast-Paced 'Gondoliers' a Raucous Success

The Gilbert and Sullivan Players’ production of “The Gondoliers; or, The King of Bartaria,” which ran from Oct. 30 to Nov. 9 at the Agassiz Theater, was an innovative rendition of the classic Gilbert and Sullivan comedy. The musical was bound to entertain anyone looking for a two-hour treat of impeccable acting and singing accompanied by a sensational set design and a live orchestra.

First performed in 1889, “The Gondoliers” is a comedy with a zest for romance and mystery that takes place in Venice as well as the fictional country of Barataria: a duke’s daughter, Casilda (Camille L. Crossot ’16), sets on a journey to find her long-lost husband she married as an infant, while she is in fact in love with the family’s drummer boy, Luiz (Rahul Kulka). Her husband is supposed to be one of the Venetian gondolier twins, Marco (Matthew Hennek) and Giuseppe Palmieri (Charlie V. Caplan ’15), who were brought up in secrecy. Not knowing their own identities as the heirs to the throne, they get married to other women within the first 15 minutes of the show. In the fast-paced cob web of comedic love triangles and mysteries surrounding birth, every second of “The Gondoliers” proves to be a surprise.

Among the exceptionally talented cast of actors, three deserved particular attention. Crossot, with a penetrating yet rich soprano voice and equally captivating acting skills, conveyed the dramatic yet innocent personality of Casilda. She also had great chemistry with Asia T. Stewart ’18 (who plays her mother, the Duchess of Plaza-Toro) and Jack F. Weyen ’16 (who plays her father, the Duke of Plaza-Toro). Moreover, Weyen always brimmed with energy and expertly handled slapstick acting as well as Rossini-style parlante, providing invaluable comic relief. Acknowledgement should also be given to C. E. Chiemeka Ezie ’15 as Don Alhambra del Bolero, whose wide range of acting added much sass as well as needed tension and weight to the show. The two gondolier couples (Katie Norchi, Alice F. Berenson ‘16, Hennek, and Caplan) also formed a great quartet and became a solid backbone of for the musical. The balance between Norchi’s soprano and Berenson’s alto was superb. The immaculate collaboration between Hennek and Caplan is another gem of the show; they even sang a song (“Replying we sing”) in turn by measure, musically conveying their identity as twins.

The stage design by Evan R. Schueckler ’15 was exquisite and immediately placed the audience in quattrocento Venice. There were no superfluous props, and everything was smartly designed. In Act I, two Venetian palazzi receded on both sides to form a one-point perspective, representing the spatial depth very effectively. Using the first arch on each building as the exit for the actors was a practical yet witty decision. The landscape view of Venice at the very back of the stage harkened back to Canaletto’s Venetian paintings. Also impressive was the movable gondola, almost reminiscent of the one in Broadway production of “The Phantom of the Opera.” Act II provided even more depth to the stage and creative possibilities for blocking by placing four rows of the expertly painted gothic columns so that they recede as a viewer looks down the stage. The transition from the bright, neon colors of Act I to the muted tones of Act II helped significantly in differentiating the atmosphere of the two halves.

Another nod goes to the orchestra, conducted by music director Samantha K. Heinle ’16, which was in harmony with the actors’ singing on an emotional level. The orchestra’s incredible mastery in dynamics, from the barely audible pianissimo to the roaring fortissimo, was particularly impressive. The musicians’ expertise could best be felt at dramatic moments like the arrival of Luiz’s mother, who holds the key to the identity of the King; during this scene, the strings’ escalating notes through sautillé bowings created great suspense. Although the play itself did not present great variety in terms of musical genre, the orchestra more than made up for this by enlivening it with diverse textures.

“The Gondoliers” may be a solid 19th-century comedy, but G&S leapt across the time gap and brought the work alive with great expertise in multiple areas. It entertained and captivated, so that many probably left the doors of Agassiz Theater whistling the tune of the gondoliers.