W. S. Gilbert - Iolanthe

W. S. Gilbert - Iolanthe book summary

Iolanthe is a fairy banished from fairyland for the crime of marrying a mortal. Her half-fairy, half-human son Strephon is a fairy down to the waist, but his legs are human. He loves Phyllis, but she is courted by the whole House of Lords and the Lord High Chancellor himself! Strephon decides the only way to win his love is to go into Parliament, with the help of his mother and all his fairy aunts. None of them understand politics, but that doesn't matter. He will soon make some changes, starting with throwing the Peerage open to competitive examination! But how will Phyllis react when she catches Strephon with an impossibly young and very beautiful lady who he claims is his fairy mother?

This is a spoken "poetic" version of the libretto written by W. S. Gilbert, where a full cast of voices brings the sparkling wit of Gilbert to the fore, and will enhance understanding and appreciation of this comic light opera. (Summary by Beth Thomas)

Narrator/Phyllis: Beth Thomas
Strephon: Shakira Searle
Queen of the Fairies: Jennifer Fournier
The Lord Chancellor: Hamlet
Iolanthe: Kristin Gjerløw
Celia: Lydia
Leila: Vanessa Cooley
Fleta: J. E. Vorble
Earl of Mountararat: Rob Board
Earl of Tolloller: Todd
Private Willis: Alan Mapstone
Chorus Fairies: K. Hand and Roohi Haq
Chorus Peers: John Burlinson and Alan Mapstone

Audio edited by Kristin Gjerløw

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