Haddon Hall triumph for Matlock G&S Society

Gay Bolton Reproduced by permission of the Derbyshire Times

Light opera Haddon Hall is bound to be a big draw for Derbyshire residents - not least because it hasn’t been performed around these parts for many a year. Sadly it’s not being staged at the stately home but down the road at the Medway Centre, Bakewell, where Matlock Gilbert and Sullivan Society have constructed a scaled-down version. Healthy numbers of viewers have been turning up to the production over the past couple of nights - and there’s one last chance to see it this evening, Saturday, June 14, at 7.30pm.

Set in the 17th century, the opera reflects a period when King Charles II fled to France and Parliamentarians seized the estates of Royalists. Against this backdrop is played out the story of Dorothy Vernon, whose father wants her to marry his cousin, a Puritan, to ensure that Haddon Hall stays in the family. But Dorothy is in love with John Manners, a Cavalier, and elopes with him to France. Even if you don’t know the opera, and I doubt many do, it’s well worth checking out as the songs and music are some of the most beautiful you’ll hear when performed in such fine fashion.

Highlights of the chorus numbers are the exquisitely performed madrigal When the Budding Bloom of May and The Bonny Bridegroom Cometh. Leading lady Helen Booker, in the role of Dorothy Vernon, gives superb performances of difficult solos, particularly the recitative Why Weep and Wait? and her tender approach is not only sympathetic to the character but evokes sympathy in the viewer. True to his character, Andrew Moore plays John Manners in cavalier fashion, turning up at Haddon Hall with a barrow-load of wares and making an aside to the audience 'premature Tesco'. His character is very much the hero, sweeping his love off in the middle of the night as a storm rages which is signified by dramatic lighting effects of forked lightning and raindrops. Andrew looks as though he’s bursting with pride at the end as the eloped couple return with two little daughters in tow, played by his own children Elissa and Lucia Moore.

Producer Max Taylor, who has edited the script so well that it’s impossible to detect where it changes from the original, takes on dual performance duties - as the master of Haddon Hall Sir George and as his manservant Oswald. The society’s chairman Liz McKenzie, playing Lady Vernon, flowers in her signature song Queen of the Garden, while Susan Devaney brings delightful characterisation, singing and a comic touch to the role of her maid Dorcas.

Comedy is well played in the second scene by Nic Wilson as cousin Rupert, leader of the hypocritical Puritans who have put a stop to plays in theatres, banned dancing and imposed all sorts of other sanctions designed to stop other people having fun. He's aided and abetted by Chris Hannant as The McCrankie, who arrives on stage in full Scottish regalia, brandishing bagpipes and with a dodgy accent in tow. Ken Watson, Angela Robinson, Neil Jury and David Stokes add to the motley crew of Puritans.

The music is as dramatic as the action and is skilfully performed by an eight-piece ensemble,conducted by musical director Melanie Gilbert. There was just one point in the production last night that I thought could have been improved and that was an overly long pause between acts two and three which affected the momentum. Still it’s a good show which is well worth a look.

Joyce Handbury

I feel that I must give a very short outline of the piece because it is so rarely performed and consequently very few people are aware of it at all. Haddon Hall is a light opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by Sydney Grundy (a collaboration that followed the disbanding of the partnership of Gilbert & Sullivan but only resulted in this one opera). It is a dramatisation of the sixteenth century legend surrounding the elopement of Dorothy Vernon with John Manners, son of Thomas Manners the 1st. Earl of Rutland but Grundy resets it in the seventeenth century adding the conflict between the Cavaliers and the Roundheads as a backdrop to the storyline.

Sir George Vernon, a royalist, fears that because King Charles II has fled to France and the Parliamentarians are seizing Royalist estates, to safeguard the future of Haddon Hall he wants his daughter to marry his cousin Rupert Vernon, a Puritan. Dorothy is in love with John Manners, an active Cavalier, and elopes with him to France. Rupert acquires a writ and gains possession of Haddon Hall but when King Charles returns to the throne, John Manners returns with a warrant from the King restoring the Hall to George Vernon. He brings forward his bride Dorothy and their two children, who begs for forgiveness from her father, and so it all ends happily!

Max Taylor, the director, has reworked the script and produced a score from a 1992 adaptation by David Eden and Martin Yates. It has taken him every spare minute for a year to do this and to further adapt it for a small society and an extremely small performance area. Indeed, a true labour of love!

In front of a simplistic set depicting the stone walls of Haddon Hall, the shows opens with a very happy and lively number with nice choreography including an innovative routine using ribbons. Max, as well as directing and borne out of necessity, takes on the two roles of Sir George Vernon and Oswald, a friend of John Manners. He does great justice to both characters his powerful singing voice coming to the fore when he vents his anger on his daughter Dorothy, and the little comic nuances he adds to Oswald's character were lovely. Liz McKenzie was truly elegant as befits the role of Lady Vernon and Susan Devaney brought delightful humour to the role of Dorcas, her maid.

Helen Booker was superb as Dorothy Vernon coping effortlessly with the difficult solos and Andrew Moore was great as John Manners who first appears as a Pedlar (referring to himself as a 'premature Tesco') later returning as himself, a Cavalier, accompanied by Dorothy and his daughters who, incidentally, were so scrumptiously played by his own daughters, Elissa and Lucia Moore. How proud he must have been!

Nic Wilson was brilliant as Rupert, his facial expressions and his mastery at 'telling a story' are truly outstanding and as for his merry band of Puritans - Neil Jury, Angela Robinson, David Stokes and Ken Watson - well, they were just so funny! Down from Scotland is a Puritan from the Isle of Rum, supposedly to help support Rupert. Chris Hannant as The McCrankie, in full Scottish regalia, complete with bagpipes gave a very commendable performance.

The singing from all the soloists, small groups and the full chorus was excellent and I certainly agree with Musical Director, Melanie Gilbert, when she states that "the music is beautiful and complex as ever and the elopement/storm scene in Act 2 is a masterpiece of dramatic and descriptive music". However, that being so, you still need an adept and accomplished orchestra to achieve the desired effect and this it most certainly did - it was a joy to listen to the wonderful music being so beautifully played. I thoroughly enjoyed this piece especially as it had such a local connection.

This society does so well to produce excellent shows with such limited facilities. Congratulations to everyone involved and oh, I almost forgot to mention the lovely costumes, some good lighting effects and a fabulous, big black wig!!