Gilbert (No Sullivan)
TOURING FROM AUTUMN 2016
Tall Tales and Bonkers Ballads by W. S. Gilbert
Adapted for the stage by Mitchell & Nixon
“A hilarious evening of fun…one can see where modern performers like Tommy Cooper and Tony Hancock got their inspiration.” – Paul Towers, Western Park Gazette
“Hilarious….marvellously interpreted…a very clever show from two enormously talented and very funny actors.”- Louise Schweitzer, Brighton Argus
“Fast and beautifully timed…. had the audience in fits of laughter. A very enjoyable evening.” – Deirdre Kincaid, Savoynet
A rollicking adaptation of outrageous, absurd and hilarious stories and ballads by the master of ‘Topsy-Turvydom’ Sir W. S. Gilbert, brought lovingly to the stage by The Ornate Johnsons’ David Mounfield and Brian Mitchell.
Now immortalised for his partnership with composer Sir Arthur Sullivan, Gilbert was, in his own right, a renowned playwright and comic writer and a master of “Nonsense” verse. As a regular contributor to ‘Punch’ and ‘Fun’ magazines he produced many fantastic stories with his trademark dark humour, while his uproarious poems known as ‘The Bab Ballads’ have remained almost constantly in print.
Gilbert (No Sullivan) – trailer
For the first time and on the 180th anniversary of his birth, three of his funniest tales and two of the best-loved ‘Bab Ballads’ take to the stage in this inventive new adaptation by Mitchell & Nixon, writers of the hit shows Those Magnificent Men and Big Daddy Vs. Giant Haystacks. Staged simply and flexibly, the show is ideal for rural touring and will fit comfortably in almost any small theatre, village hall or community centre.
The Yarn of The Nancy Bell
Performed by Radio 4 regular David Mounfield (soon to continue his long association with GBBO’s Mel Giedroyc in ‘Count Arthur Strong’s Radio Show’ with new series ‘Rum Bunch’) and Brian Mitchell (‘Those Magnificent Men’ and ‘The Ornate Johnsons’), Gilbert (No Sullivan) is the perfect night out for ‘Savoyards’ and a great introduction to one of England’s wittiest writers.
