Welcome to GanderS
This is our online journal with fun facts, G&S history and even Gilbert and Sullivan themed recipes
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Singing for the Brain
Our Ruth Helps People with Fading Memories – and so can you! Ruth is joined by her fellow singing for the brain leader Sue Binnie, with Pete Simpson on keyboard. So how does singing help? Singing is not only an enjoyable activity, it can also provide a way for people with dementia, along with their…
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A Queenly Pudding
A Queenly Pudding for the Fairy Queen Our 2019 production of Iolanthe set us thinking about fairies. Queen Mab is, of course, the mid-wife to the fairies in Midsummer Night’s Dream. So what better recipe to have to celebrate our production of Iolanthe than this queenly treat, Queen Mab’s pudding? Queen Mab’s Pudding 4 oz…
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Sally Lunn
Hippies and buns The Sorcerer and Sally Lunn, a legendary connection. Our 2013 production of The Sorcerer saw us dressing up as hippies and singing about buns. Specifically gay Sally Lunns. There are several stories about how the famous bun got its name. This is one. The Sally Lunn Legend Solange Luyon, a young Huguenot…
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Child minding
Alhambra enrols the infant prince into Baptisto’s childminding service. To paraphrase Don Alhambra: “I stole the Prince and left him gaily prattling, with a highly respectable gondolier…”
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Cachucha
Apparently “Cachucha” sounds a bit like something rude in Spanish speaking countries. We sought to uphold that tradition in our 2018 production of The Gondoliers
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South Pacific Squeeze
Blitz yourself a fruity squeeze from Wolverton G&S Songs from Richard Rodgers’ and Oscar Hammerstein’s “South Pacific” brought a touch of tropical romance to Showblitz! in 2018. Here’s a gentle reminder from a delicious recipe for South Pacific Squeeze. Take: 300ml orange juice 100ml pineapple juice 1 banana 6 strawberries 170g pineapple sorbet – see…
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We do not care a fig
Young Strephon is the kind of lout we do not care a fig about! Our 2019 production of Iolanthe included that immortal line. Their lordships may have not cared for Strephon, but figgy pudding on the other hand. That’s quite a different matter. Get in the mood with this BBC recipe. Figgy Pudding 250g pack…
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Boston Beans
Baked beans and the Wild West Our ultimately doomed production of Calamity Jane turned our thoughts to the blazing saddles of the wild west and – well. Baked beans and cowboys are sort of linked in the popular imagination. And we all know who to blame for that… In fact beans were a real staple…
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Ring a ring of roses
During the dark days of the pandemic, a bit of light relief in the post by our Publicity Officer, Ruth. A plague on your roses? “Ring a Ring o’ Roses” or “Ring a Ring o’ Rosie” is an English nursery rhyme or folksong and playground singing game. It first appeared in print in 1881, but it is reported that a version…
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Patience
Four Patiences The first production Wolverton G&S have performed Patience 4 times. We first performed Patience back in 1981. It was directed by Phill Street and Arnold Jones was the musical director. Patience herself was played by Tricia Goldsmith and Syd Pearson and Leigh Harris were the battling poets. Our photograph shows Syd and Leigh…
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The Zoo
Two Zoos The first production Wolverton G&S have performed The Zoo twice. The Zoo is a bit of an outlier. The music is all Sullivan, but Gilbert had no part in the libretto. That was written by B. C. Stephenson, writing under the pen name of Bolton Rowe. Zoo was pretty much lost after its…
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Iolanthe
Five Fairies The first production Wolverton G&S have performed Iolanthe 5 times. Our first production of Iolanthe came just two years after that first HMS Pinafore. The 1977 production was performed at Wolverton College of Further Education and directed by H. Milwood Wildey. The musical director was Arnold Jones. Our picture is an AI enhanced…
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Trial by Jury
Six Trials The earliest photo in 2002 Wolverton G&S have performed Trial by Jury 6 times. Our first production of Trial was in 1975. We have no programme for that production or for subsequent Trials in 1979, 1983 and 1988. If you have a programme you’re prepared to lend, please contact us. It isn’t until…
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The Yeomen of the Guard
Five Yeomen The first production Wolverton G&S have performed The Yeomen of the Guard 5 times. Our first production of Yeomen was in 1982. The photograph on this page is an AI enhanced copy of the original. It shows our current president Angela Bowen as Phoebe resisting the sinister attentions of Wilfred Shadbolt, deliciously played…
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The Sorcerer
Four Sorcerers The first production Wolverton G&S have performed The Sorcerer 4 times. Our first production of The Sorcerer was not until 1990, 15 years after our first show, HMS Pinafore. The photograph on this page is an AI enhanced copy of the original. It shows Vernabelle Brissenden as The Lady Sangazure. The Sorcerer himself,…
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The Mikado
Five Mikados The first production Wolverton G&S have performed The Mikado 5 times. Our first production of The Mikado was in 1976. The photograph on this page is an AI enhanced copy of the 48 year old original. Reg Baker and Mary Clayton were a suitably terrifying Mikado and Katisha. That show was directed by…
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The Gondoliers
Five Gondoliers The first production Wolverton G&S have performed The Gondoliers 5 times. Our first production of The Gondoliers was in 1980. The photograph on this page is an AI enhanced copy of the 44 year old original. Tony Selby and Derek Fielder were Marco and Guiseppe. Tessa was played by Pam Pritchard and Susannah…
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Other shows
Other shows in our Celebration! Wolverton G&S have performed over 25 shows by other artists. There’s quite a list and we chose to feature some of the finest in our jubilee concert. “I Love Paris” comes from “Can Can” by Cole Porter. Cath Bromley sang it in our 2004 production “Around the World in Song”.…
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HMS Pinafore
Seven Pinafores Our first production Wolverton G&S have performed HMS Pinafore 7 times. Our first production was our inaugural show in 1975. The photo on this page is an AI enhanced copy of the 49 year old original. It shows a young Clarence Gill and Syd Pearson in the crew. Tom Clayton was Sir Joseph…
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The Pirates of Penzance
Seven Piratical Performances The Pirates of Penzance 1978 Wolverton G&S have performed The Pirates of Penzance 7 times. Our first production was in 1978. The photo on this page is an AI enhanced copy of the 46 year old original. It shows Derek Fielder as The Pirate King and Mary Clayton as Ruth with a…
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