Princess Ida

Some people do not like this television adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan's esoteric opera, but I certainly do! It is one of the rare occasions when I have seen this opera performed with the correct spirit. Less satiric than the other Savoy Operas, it has in my humble opinion Arthur Sullivan's greatest score. Nan Christie is a wonderful protagonist. Ditto Anne Collins as Lady Blanche. The score is complete save for the traditional cut "Come Mighty Must". Frank Gorshin is a poor choice for King Gama - he strains for laughs, and seems in need of an audience. Taken as a whole, a great effort.

I've always had mixed feelings about this series and wonder at the wisdom of having famous guest stars, usually American, in the leads. At its worst, in my opinion, was Vincent Price in Ruddigore who I think ruined that production. But, in my opinion, Gorshin didn't disgrace himself and I think he fit in with the spirit of this version.

The others were good as well. I didn't object to the garden party settings but I think sometimes it was a bit distracting to have the "guests" looking in on some of the scenes.

I did think Fairbanks seemed lost and confused much of the time in the introductions and perhaps Vincent Price should have introduced them instead of Doug Jr. or instead of playing Ruddigore.

This is, incidentally, the last operetta before Mikado and the ones following are, I think, greater works than this one but "Ida" is always interesting. The DVD is good but has few extra features.

Guests at a mansion give a private performance of 'Princess Ida', with the audience being made up of their fellow guests. When King Gama comments that Princess Ida has set up a Women-only University (where even the animals are all female), her betrothed, Prince Hilarion, decides there is only one thing to be done - he and his friends will have to infiltrate the University, so that he can woo the Princess and claim her as his wife. To achieve this aim, the three friends dress up as women in some academic robes they find - and their subsequent behaviour, as 'women', is a delight to watch. The singing is great, as is the acting - and the sets and costumes are beautiful and colorful. A delightful production!

Although he doesn't quite deserve to be indulged with so many close-ups by director Dave Heather, Frank Gorshin is more than adequate as King Gama. Fortunately, the role, though showy and rounded out with a couple of great patter songs, is actually rather small and Mr Gorshin manages not to out-stay his welcome. The rest of the players are made up of seasoned Gilbert and Sullivan veterans. All are more than equal to their tasks, though it's Josephine Gordon who walks away with the acting honors. Admittedly, she does supreme justice to the play's best song (directed and staged in a most agreeably imaginative manner it is too!): "A Lady fair, of lineage high, Was loved by an Ape in the days gone by. The Maid was radiant as the sun, The Ape was a most unsightly one!" With its extremely clever lyrics and catchy tune, this little aria ranks as one of the team's Top Ten, in my opinion.

Princess Ida is easily one of the better productions of the hit and miss D'Oyly Carte series, only let down by moments of crude editing. But this is more than compensated by the handsome production values, sprightly choreography such as the organised marching during When Anger Spreads His Wing and the courtly dances in Now Harken To My Strict Command and the stylish, beautiful way the music(some of G&S's loveliest, more than makes up for the weakest libretto of their operettas) is performed by the well balanced orchestra and chorus. And the chorus thankfully don't mug and are rarely static, like they did in Pirates of Penzanze(which I disliked on the whole) and Ruddigore(which I was mixed). The lyrics and dialogue are as witty and funny as ever, and the performances are great. I found the standouts to be Frank Gorshin, who sings his patter really quite decently(of the celebrities on board he is better than Joel Grey, Peter Allen and Frankie Howerd at any rate) and seems to be really enjoying himself. Nan Christie is charming in the title role, her opening song, which is not one of G&S's best in my opinion, is beautifully sung and given much life. Josephine Gordon is a fine actress, and almost steals the show in A Lady Fair go Lineage High, and Anne Collins is her usual characterful self. In conclusion, delightful on the whole and on par with Cox and Box, Iolanthe and The Sorcerer as one of the best of the D'Oyly Carte series. 9/10 Bethany Cox