The Gondoliers
The Mikado
The Sorcerer
The Martyr of Antioch
Ruddigore
The Yeomen of the Guard
Other works performed by St Davids Players
St Davids Players
past productions
HMS Pinafore
The Pirates of Penzance
Trial by Jury
Iolanthe
Princess Ida
Utopia (Limited)
The Grand Duke
Patience
Thespis
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THE SAVOY OPERAS
PATIENCE
or, BUNTHORNE’S BRIDE
Read more about PATIENCE
#ExeterGandS
ST DAVID’S PLAYERS
Gilbert and Sullivan Society · Exeter · Devon
Written by W S Gilbert
Composed by Arthur Sullivan
Premièred at The Opera Comique, London on 23rd April 1881, moving to The Savoy Theatre, London on 10th October 1881 running for a total of 578 performances.
St David’s Players’ productions: (click to expand)
January 1970
St James’ Hall, Exeter
Reginald Bunthorne — Adrian Pritchard
Archibald Grosvenor — Neil Brook
Colonel Calverley — David Wheaton
Major Murgatroyd — Trevor Vicary
Lieutenant the Duke of Dunstable — John Nicklin
Patience — Monica Wiseman
The Lady Jane — Lorraine Rogers
The Lady Angela — Teresa Huxham
The Lady Saphir — Margaret Ross
The Lady Ella — Alison Long
Director — CHRISTINE CALDWELL
Musical Director — SYLVIA DOIDGE
4 — 8 October 1977
The Barnfield Theatre, Exeter
Reginald Bunthorne — Ian Bond
Archibald Grosvenor — Robin Johnson
Colonel Calverley — Leonard Larne
Major Murgatroyd — Rod Stewart
Lieutenant the Duke of Dunstable — Phil Hobbs
Mr Bunthorne’s Solicitor — Eric Underwood
Patience — Lorraine Rogers
The Lady Jane — Carolyn Harries
The Lady Angela — Nicky Hobbs
The Lady Saphir — Eileen Clarke
The Lady Ella — Sheila Underwood
Director — Barry Screech
Musical Director — SYLVIA DOIDGE
13 — 17 October 1992
The Barnfield Theatre, Exeter
Reginald Bunthorne — Andrew Butler
Archibald Grosvenor — Tim Smith
Colonel Calverley — John Stuart
Major Murgatroyd — Mark Jelley
Lieutenant the Duke of Dunstable — Andrew May
Mr. Bunthorne’s Solicitor — Duncan Brock
Patience — Bobbie Hiscock
The Lady Jane — Jane Edmund
The Lady Angela — Jane May
The Lady Saphir — Lorraine Colebrook
The Lady Ella — Madeleine Haydon
Producer — IAN BOND
Musical Director — DIANA DRAISEY
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This production included ‘Tho men of rank’, both verses of ‘Long years ago’ and the complete original dialogue.
A brief synopsis
Patience satirizes the ‘æsthetic craze’ of the 1870s and 1880s.
This artistic movement was very popular but also very easy to ridicule and this made Patience a big hit.
A group of lovesick maidens believe that they are all in love with Bunthorne, an æsthetic poet. Bunthorne, on the other hand, is in love with Patience, the local milkmaid. Patience doesn’t understand why everyone around her is so miserable when they are in love, and on top of that, she doesn’t like poetry or poets.
Then along comes a second poet who feels he is God’s gift to women, but who is also still in love with Patience who was his childhood sweetheart. Add a platoon of Heavy Dragoon Guards who are under the impression that they are engaged to the afore-mentioned lovesick maidens and you have the usual Gilbertian confusions and complications.