The Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company at Darlington Civic Theatre

THREE comic operas in five days : The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance and Iolanthe are being stage in Darlington and it’s the first time that a touring company has offered three different shows in one week for more than 30 years.

Gilbert and Sullivan are still a force to be reckoned with, their comic operas have stood the test of time and influenced musical theatre into the 21st Century. The simplest way to describe these two talented gents is as the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice of the late 1800s.

The Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company has been entertaining audiences for more than 20 years with the timeless wit of W S Gilbert and the memorable music of Sir Arthur Sullivan. Gilbert created fanciful topsy-turvy worlds where fairies rub elbows with British lords, gondoliers ascend to the monarchy and pirates turn out to be noblemen who have gone wrong.

There are Pirate Kings, dotty Major Generals and hapless, bumbling policemen; Japanese horrors and three little maids from school. There’s even a man who is a fairy to the waist but whose legs are mortal and some very dim-witted Peers and plenty of political fun poking at the House of Lords.

Gilbert’s lyrics come to life with Sullivan’s memorable melodies, which also exist in a make-believe world of their own and are full of pathos and humour.

Three operas in five days is probably too much happiness? Which one to see?

July 1 - Iolanthe; July 2 & 3 The Pirates of Penzance; July 4 & 5 - The Mikado

(matinees on July 3 & 5)

Box Office: 01325 486555 or darlingtoncivic.co.uk

Helen Brown