Ruddigore |
Autumn 2007 |
Our autumn 2007 production was Gilbert & Sullivan's Ruddigore, or 'The Witch's Curse'.
Act I
In the town of Rederring, in Cornwall, a chorus of professional bridesmaids frets that there have been no weddings for the last six months. All of the eligible young men are hopeful of a union with Rose Maybud, the prettiest maiden in the village, yet they are too timid to approach her.
The desperate bridesmaids ask Rose's aunt, Dame Hannah, if she would consider marrying, but she has vowed to remain eternally single. Many years previously, she had been betrothed to "a god-like youth" who turned out to be Sir Roderic Murgatroyd, one of the bad baronets of Ruddigore. Only on her wedding day had she discovered his true identity.
Dame Hannah tells the bridesmaids about the curse of Ruddigore. Centuries ago, Sir Rupert Murgatroyd, the first Baronet of Ruddigore, had persecuted witches. One of his victims, as she was about to be burnt at the stake, cursed all future Baronets of Ruddigore to commit a crime every day, or perish in inconceivable agonies. Every Baronet of Ruddigore since then had fallen under the curse's influence, and died in agony once he could no longer bring himself to continue a life of crime.
After the horrified bridesmaids exit, Dame Hannah greets her niece, Rose, and inquires whether there is any young man in the village whom she could love. Rose, who takes her ideas of Right and Wrong from a book of etiquette, replies that all of the young men she meets are either too rude or too shy. Dame Hannah asks particularly about Robin Oakapple, a virtuous farmer, but Rose replies that he is too frightened to approach her, and the rules of etiquette forbid her from speaking until she is spoken to. Robin enters, claiming to seek advice from Rose about "a friend" who is in love. Rose says that she has such a friend too, but neither of them is able to come to the point.
Richard Dauntless, Robin's foster-brother, arrives after ten years at sea. Robin tells him that he is afraid to declare his love to Rose, and Richard offers to speak to her on his behalf. When Richard sees Rose, he falls in love with her himself, and proposes immediately. After consulting her book of etiquette, Rose accepts. When Robin finds out what has happened, he points out his foster-brother's many flaws. Realising her mistake, Rose breaks her engagement with Richard, and accepts Robin.
Sir Despard Murgatroyd, the current bad Baronet of Ruddigore, now enters, frightening everyone in his wake. Despard had become Baronet twenty years previously when his elder brother, Ruthven (pronounced "Rivven"), died mysteriously. Richard approaches him, and reveals that Robin Oakapple is in fact Despard's long-lost brother. The elated Despard declares that he is "free at last".
The village gathers to celebrate the nuptials of Rose and Robin. Sir Despard interrupts, revealing that Robin is his elder brother. Rose, horrified at his identity, resolves once again to marry Richard. Despard, now free of the curse, reunites with Mad Margaret, to whom he had once been betrothed. Robin leaves in disgrace to take up his rightful identity as Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd.
Act II
At Ruddigore Castle, Robin tries to come to grips with being a bad Baronet, a task at which he proves to be spectacularly lacking. His loyal retainer, Old Adam, suggests various evil crimes, but Robin prefers minor acts that are not criminal, but "merely rude". Richard and Rose enter to ask Robin's consent to their marriage, which he gives grudgingly.
Robin's weak crimes stir his ancestral ghosts from their usual haunt of the castle's portrait gallery. The curse requires them to ensure that their successors are duly committing a crime every day, and to torture them to death if they fail. Robin's uncle, the late Sir Roderic Murgatroyd, orders him to "carry off a lady" that day. After the ghosts give him a sample of the agonies he would face, Robin reluctantly agrees. He tells Adam to go to the village and abduct a lady - any lady.
Despard has atoned for his previous evil acts and has married Mad Margaret. The two of them now live a life of charity. They come to the castle and urge Robin to renounce his life of crime. When Robin asserts that he has done no wrong yet, they remind him that he is morally responsible for all the crimes Despard had done in his stead. Realising the extent of his guilt, Robin resolves to defy his ancestors.
Meanwhile, Adam has complied with Robin's orders and abducted Dame Hannah. However, she proves adept at defending herself, and Robin cries for his uncle's protection. An angry Sir Roderic once again steps down from his picture frame and dismisses Robin. He and Dame Hannah enjoy a brief reunion.
Robin interrupts them, accompanied by Rose, Richard, and the bridesmaids. He points out that each Ruddigore ancestor in turn has, at some point, declined to perform a daily crime and accepted his fate. However, in doing so, they have all effectively committed suicide - which is itself a crime. Thus, Robin's predecessors should never have died at all.
Now that Robin is free of the curse, Rose once again drops Richard and happily resumes her engagement to Robin. Roderic and Dame Hannah embrace, while Richard settles for the First Bridesmaid, Zorah.
Act I
In the town of Rederring, in Cornwall, a chorus of professional bridesmaids frets that there have been no weddings for the last six months. All of the eligible young men are hopeful of a union with Rose Maybud, the prettiest maiden in the village, yet they are too timid to approach her.
The desperate bridesmaids ask Rose's aunt, Dame Hannah, if she would consider marrying, but she has vowed to remain eternally single. Many years previously, she had been betrothed to "a god-like youth" who turned out to be Sir Roderic Murgatroyd, one of the bad baronets of Ruddigore. Only on her wedding day had she discovered his true identity.
Dame Hannah tells the bridesmaids about the curse of Ruddigore. Centuries ago, Sir Rupert Murgatroyd, the first Baronet of Ruddigore, had persecuted witches. One of his victims, as she was about to be burnt at the stake, cursed all future Baronets of Ruddigore to commit a crime every day, or perish in inconceivable agonies. Every Baronet of Ruddigore since then had fallen under the curse's influence, and died in agony once he could no longer bring himself to continue a life of crime.
After the horrified bridesmaids exit, Dame Hannah greets her niece, Rose, and inquires whether there is any young man in the village whom she could love. Rose, who takes her ideas of Right and Wrong from a book of etiquette, replies that all of the young men she meets are either too rude or too shy. Dame Hannah asks particularly about Robin Oakapple, a virtuous farmer, but Rose replies that he is too frightened to approach her, and the rules of etiquette forbid her from speaking until she is spoken to. Robin enters, claiming to seek advice from Rose about "a friend" who is in love. Rose says that she has such a friend too, but neither of them is able to come to the point.
Richard Dauntless, Robin's foster-brother, arrives after ten years at sea. Robin tells him that he is afraid to declare his love to Rose, and Richard offers to speak to her on his behalf. When Richard sees Rose, he falls in love with her himself, and proposes immediately. After consulting her book of etiquette, Rose accepts. When Robin finds out what has happened, he points out his foster-brother's many flaws. Realising her mistake, Rose breaks her engagement with Richard, and accepts Robin.
Sir Despard Murgatroyd, the current bad Baronet of Ruddigore, now enters, frightening everyone in his wake. Despard had become Baronet twenty years previously when his elder brother, Ruthven (pronounced "Rivven"), died mysteriously. Richard approaches him, and reveals that Robin Oakapple is in fact Despard's long-lost brother. The elated Despard declares that he is "free at last".
The village gathers to celebrate the nuptials of Rose and Robin. Sir Despard interrupts, revealing that Robin is his elder brother. Rose, horrified at his identity, resolves once again to marry Richard. Despard, now free of the curse, reunites with Mad Margaret, to whom he had once been betrothed. Robin leaves in disgrace to take up his rightful identity as Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd.
Act II
At Ruddigore Castle, Robin tries to come to grips with being a bad Baronet, a task at which he proves to be spectacularly lacking. His loyal retainer, Old Adam, suggests various evil crimes, but Robin prefers minor acts that are not criminal, but "merely rude". Richard and Rose enter to ask Robin's consent to their marriage, which he gives grudgingly.
Robin's weak crimes stir his ancestral ghosts from their usual haunt of the castle's portrait gallery. The curse requires them to ensure that their successors are duly committing a crime every day, and to torture them to death if they fail. Robin's uncle, the late Sir Roderic Murgatroyd, orders him to "carry off a lady" that day. After the ghosts give him a sample of the agonies he would face, Robin reluctantly agrees. He tells Adam to go to the village and abduct a lady - any lady.
Despard has atoned for his previous evil acts and has married Mad Margaret. The two of them now live a life of charity. They come to the castle and urge Robin to renounce his life of crime. When Robin asserts that he has done no wrong yet, they remind him that he is morally responsible for all the crimes Despard had done in his stead. Realising the extent of his guilt, Robin resolves to defy his ancestors.
Meanwhile, Adam has complied with Robin's orders and abducted Dame Hannah. However, she proves adept at defending herself, and Robin cries for his uncle's protection. An angry Sir Roderic once again steps down from his picture frame and dismisses Robin. He and Dame Hannah enjoy a brief reunion.
Robin interrupts them, accompanied by Rose, Richard, and the bridesmaids. He points out that each Ruddigore ancestor in turn has, at some point, declined to perform a daily crime and accepted his fate. However, in doing so, they have all effectively committed suicide - which is itself a crime. Thus, Robin's predecessors should never have died at all.
Now that Robin is free of the curse, Rose once again drops Richard and happily resumes her engagement to Robin. Roderic and Dame Hannah embrace, while Richard settles for the First Bridesmaid, Zorah.