Before I go any further, I must point out that before taking my seat at this performance, I did not consider myself a great fan of operetta, and my view was not greatly altered by The Gondoliers.

It is Venice in the latter part of the 19th Century. Gilbert and Sullivan’s production of The Gondoliers opens on the wedding day of Tessa and Giuseppe, and Marco and Gianetta. Young, joyous love abounds, with merry songs to suit. A chorus of happy guests attend the newly-weds, the girls pretty in their simple peasant’s garb, their suitors charming and cheerful in their striped shirts and gondoliers’ boaters.

But there’s a catch. The impoverished Duke of Plaza-Toro has arrived in Venice with his wife and beautiful daughter, Casilda, claiming that the latter was married in her infancy to the heir to the throne of Barataria. The heir happens to be none other than one of Marco and Giuseppe – the difficulty in proving which it is a minor technicality.

Both men are therefore compelled to sail to Barataria to act, jointly, as King until their old nurse can arrive to identify the true heir. Tessa and Gianetta are understandably upset at this enforced parting on their wedding day, although the news that one of them is Queen does provide some tonic to their woes.

Meanwhile, Casilda, as rightful Queen, is heart-sore because of her enforced separation from her lover, Luiz, being married as she is to the King.

Confusion, sorrow and comedy ensue in equal measure, with a song to express every change in mood and each emotion is conveyed repeatedly to the audience to ensure they do not miss it.

The plot is contrived (I guessed the ending fifteen minutes into it), the characters are stereotypes of stereotypes, the dialogue and lyrics are wooden, and the jokes are about 130 years outmoded. If all this sounds rather harsh, I must emphasize that this is only a matter of my personal opinion and the laughter and atmospheric ‘buzz’ felt all around me testified to the audience’s appreciation of the piece.

What cannot be disputed is the vital energy and palpable enjoyment with which the Carl Rosa Opera Company go about depicting their scenes. The soloists sing impressively, most notably Alycia Fashae as Gianetta and Nick Sales as Marco, who rise above the limitations of their respective roles to impress.

They are matched by a lively ensemble and my only quibble here would be that in chorus numbers, the lyrics are frequently indistinct or drowned out by the music. However, I greatly prefer the music to the book and lyrics, this being the main vehicle by which the plot is carried forward and the ambiance set, and so little of the story is lost as a result of this.

In the minor role of Fiametta, Hannah Garner particularly stands out as embodying the spirit of the piece, which, despite its flaws, is pleasant enough with its intention of providing a happy ending to the evening for characters and audience both clearly evident.

I have no problem with a show offering simple, uncomplicated entertainment as its principle aim and I do not think the absence of sharply drawn, original characters and sparkling dialogue necessarily preclude the audience’s goodwill and enjoyment. I do however dislike the pretension of writers who obviously believe their work to be more highbrow and important than it can justifiably claim to be – that is for the audience to decide and this audience member does not choose to agree.

However, the Carl Rosa Opera Company does not try to echo this loftiness, nor to make the show what it is not. The result is an amiable performance by artists who love their work, with costumes and set appropriate and pleasing to the eye. The result, while not the masterpiece it has often been lauded as in the past, in the hands of this company is nevertheless an enjoyable evening out which will disappoint neither Gilbert and Sullivan’s nor Carl Rosa’s many fans.

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