Ruddigore or The Witch’s Curse

A small Cornish fishing village. A bad baronet under a curse. Professional bridesmaids with no weddings. Nasty ghostly ancestors. A village beauty. A mad woman. A dauntless sailor – let’s call him Dick.

Ruddigore or The Witch’s Curse is the tenth of fourteen collaborations by Gilbert and Sullivan. It was first performed by the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company at the Savoy in London under the name Ruddygore in 1887. The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Victoria was founded in 1935 and is one of Australia's three oldest continuously performing groups. This is the 14th production of Ruddigore from the always-reliable Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Victoria.

The director, Ron Picock OAM, has an impressive and very long relationship with Ruddigore. He saw it for the first time in 1966 and has performed and directed it many times since. His director’s notes display his deep understanding of Gilbert and Sullivan's work and their influence on the arts.

Ruddigore is sometimes updated, and it translates easily, however, Ron keeps the show to the traditional period. It was easy to see his strong, knowledgeable, directorial hand in the production. Each joke in this melodrama was used to effect, along with the occasional modern reference thrown in, a great tradition in Gilbert and Sullivan operas. Everyone understood their characters and moved confidently about the simple but effective set.

Under Trevor Henley's supremely capable conductor’s baton, the orchestra was one of the highlights of the show. They were tight, and never a note went awry. A joy to listen to the entire show.

The show commenced with a bevy of professional bridesmaids streaming in to tell us the village had no marriages. The bridesmaids moved as an ensemble should, together and supportive. They were very capably led by Kate Thurkle as Zorah and Hannah Sleeth as Ruth. Every bridesmaid was energetic and worthy of note. Robyn Pidcock has performed in over 80 shows, 50 with GSOV, and as one of the bridesmaids, you could see her love of the show and performing with her gorgeous smile.

Ruddigore is a great show for any theatre company. It has many lead and supporting characters, so it is not possible to talk about each one. The cast sang extremely well, moved and spoke confidently, and had great understood their characters.

Zoe Lancaster as the village maiden, Rose Maybud, was a highlight. Her beautiful soprano is stunning, with every word understandable. She portrayed her character perfectly. Each time Rose must change her beau, Zoe made us believe it was inevitable. The audience fell in love with her instantly. A recent graduate in classical voice from WAAPA, we are sure to see more of her.

James Douglas played Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd, the true heir to the baronetcy and the curse of Ruddigore, who has been hiding out as farmer Robin Oakapple. His transformation from nice Robin to cursed Ruthven surprised the audience, who were happy to go with him.

John Parncutt enjoyed his role as the Sir Despard Murgatroyd, the Bad Baronet of Ruddigore. He and Melissa Hill as Mad Margaret were a great couple in Act 2 when they turn to the good side. Phil Elphinstone has performed in two other productions of Ruddigore as well as playing many other characters in Gilbert and Sullivan. His sonorous bass voice as Sir Roderic Murgatroyd carried great weight on stage.

Denique Adlam’s choreography suited the period. Managing a large cast on a stage as large as the Alexander Theatre can be challenging, but Denique and the cast conquered it well.

Costuming such a large cast is always a challenge, and with Ruddigore spanning two centuries, it is an extra task. Chief Costumer, Sue Halls and her team Marie, Susan and Robyn did exceptionally well with over a dozen maidens dressed in bridesmaid gowns and the ghostly ancestors in all manner of time periods.

Plot

Ruddigore is a melodrama and, as such, has a convoluted plot, though, of course, all turns out well at the end.

In the Cornish fishing village of Rederring, a troupe of professional bridesmaids are bemoaning a lack of weddings. Dame Hannah tells them of the witch’s curse and that all baronets of Ruddigore must commit a crime daily or die.

The true heir to the baronetcy had fled and is now living as Robin Oakdale, a wealthy farmer with his servant Adam, leaving his younger brother Despard to become the Bad Baronet. Sir Despard commits his daily crime and spends the rest of the day doing good to compensate.

Rose Maybud and Robin have been courting, but he is too shy, and she lives entirely by the rules of a book of etiquette found with her as a foundling, so neither can speak of their feelings. Richard Dauntless, Robin's foster brother, an ex-sailor, offers to help but proposes to Rose and is accepted.

Mad Margaret is insane from being jilted by Sir Despard when he inherited the baronetcy years before.

Rose returns to Robin, so Richard reveals that Robin is Despard's elder brother and the true baronet. Robin must now assume the title.

At Ruddigore Castle, Robin, now in proper character as Sir Ruthven, is not enjoying his new role. The crimes he commits are insufficient for his ghostly ancestors, who, led by Sir Roderic, tell him to abduct a village lady. Despard and Margaret, now leading a life of good works, want Ruthven to see the error of his ways. The kidnap victim turns out to be Dame Hannah, and the resultant noise arouses Sir Roderic from his portrait. As with Margaret, Hannah had been jilted a generation earlier by him when he inherited. Restored to life and property, he is reunited with Hannah. Robin can now marry Rose.

Congratulations to GSOV, an excellent production.

Jane Court