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
RUDDIGORE
or, THE WITCH’S CURSE
Read more about RUDDIGORE
#ExeterGandS
ST DAVID’S PLAYERS
Gilbert and Sullivan Society · Exeter · Devon
Written by W S Gilbert
Composed by Arthur Sullivan
Premièred at The Savoy Theatre, London 22nd January 1887 and achieved a run, after some changes including re-spelling the title from ‘Ruddygore’ ran for 288 performances.
St David’s Players’ productions: (click to expand)
30 September — 4 October 1980
The Barnfield Theatre, Exeter
(Original 1887 version as ’RUDDYGORE’)
Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd / Robin Oakapple — Robin Johnson
Richard Dauntless — Phil Hobbs
Sir Despard Murgatroyd — Ian Bond
Old Adam Goodheart — Rod Stewart
Rose Maybud — Mary Pickard
Mad Margaret — Lorraine Rogers
Dame Hannah — Nicky Hobbs
Zorah — Carolyne Randall
Ruth — Lizi Sharman
Sir Roderic Murgatroyd — John Stuart
Sir Rupert Murgatroyd — Peter Sargent
Sir Jasper Murgatroyd — Kevin Brown
Sir Lionel Murgatroyd — Jim Sharman
Sir Arthur Murgatroyd — John Nicklin
Sir Conrad Murgatroyd — Peter Forrest
Sir Desmond Murgatroyd — Mike Redman
Sir Gilbert Murgatroyd — Gerald Quest
Sir Mervyn Murgatroyd — Phil Cartwright
Director — LEONARD LARNE
Musical Director — SYLVIA PRITCHARD
______________________________________________________________________
This production included the full versions of ‘I once was as meek as
a new born lamb’, ‘Happily coupled are we’ and ’In bygone days’.
The Recit and Song ‘Away Remorse — Henceforth all the crimes’
and the original Act Two finale were restored as was the entire
Act Two dialogue.
8 — 12 October 1991
The Barnfield Theatre, Exeter
Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd / Robin Oakapple — Ian Bond
Richard Dauntless — Andrew May
Sir Despard Murgatroyd — John Stuart
Old Adam Goodheart — Rod Stewart
Sir Roderic Murgatroyd — Andrew Sandilands
Rose Maybud — Madeleine Haydon
Mad Margaret — Jane May
Dame Hannah — Margaret Thomson
Zorah — Bobbie Hiscock
Ruth — Kate Davison
Director — JANE EDMUND
Musical Director — DIANA DRAISEY
8 — 12 October 2002
The Barnfield Theatre, Exeter
Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd / Robin Oakapple — Tim Hunt
Richard Dauntless — Andrew May
Sir Despard Murgatroyd — Colin Mackenzie
Old Adam Goodheart — Philip Fairweather
Sir Roderic Murgatroyd — Mark Jelley
Rose Maybud — Penny Daw
Mad Margaret — Sarah-Jo Somerfield
Dame Hannah — Christine West
Bridesmaids — Karis Ford
Mary George
Caroline Haydon
Jane May
Rose Swift
Hilary Todd
Director — JANE EDMUND
Musical Director — MARY PICKARD
14 — 18 October 2014
Download programme (PDF 17.8mb)
The Barnfield Theatre, Exeter
Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd / Robin Oakapple — Tim Hunt
Richard Dauntless — Mark Hurford
Sir Despard Murgatroyd — Pete Francis
Old Adam Goodheart — Keith Wadlan
Sir Roderic Murgatroyd — Ian Hardy
Rose Maybud — Totty Tucker
Mad Margaret — Sheena Galpin
Dame Hannah — Carolyn Harries
Zorah — Emma Mills
Ruth — Eleanor Bridgman
The Reddering Bridesmaid corps
Tina Blaker, Sarah Ford, Kate Johns, Catherine Moore
Kellyjean McGovern-Threlfall, Jackie Turner
Ladies’ chorus of villagers
Caroline Avery, Sarah Butler Evans, Judith Mills, Jane O’Callaghan
Rose Swift, Grace Whitehouse
Gentlemen’s chorus of officers and ancestors
Rob Chave, Tim Johns, Richard Johnson, Nick Jones
Paul Luffman, Andy May, Tom Mills, Peter Sargent
Brian Small, Ian Spackman, Warren Tennant
Stephen Tregale
Director — JANE MAY
Musical Director — MARK PERRY
______________________________________________This production used the Oxford University Press edition edited from Sir Arthur Sullivan’s autograph score by David Russell Hulme
A brief synopsis:
The Baronets of Ruddigore have been doomed by a witch’s curse to commit a crime a day, or die in agony.
The latest Baronet has disguised himself as a farmer to escape his fate and marry the beautiful Rose Maybud.
Enter a corps of professional bridesmaids desperate to perform their duty, a selection of ghostly ancestors, the Baronet’s adopted brother and a madwoman.
Will the Baronet’s future plans be doomed when his true identity
is revealed?
Will he find a way to lift the curse?