Iolanthe; or, the Peer and the Peri was, in a word, “magical,” according to seven-year McGill Savoy Society member Michael Quinsey. During his second year, Quinsey performed ensemble in the Society’s 2018 production of the musical; five years later, he’s reliving the experience from the director’s chair.
“Last time I did the show is what made me fall in love with theater,” Quinsey said. “The audience will be transported to another world, although a lot of it takes place in the British parliament.”
Iolanthe originally opened in 1882 at the Savoy Theatre in London. It was the eighth collaborative work of Gilbert and Sullivan, the duo who’s also responsible for Princess Ida and The Pirates of Penzance. The comedic operetta follows Strephon (Matthew Erskine), a half-fairy, half-human man rising through the ranks of British parliament — going from a simple farmer to an even simpler chancellor. With a little magic from his fairy aunts and mother, Strephon is able to get any bill passed in his nondescript British city.
Despite this newfound political power, Strephon is miserable. Phyllis (Aniela Stanek), the girl of his — and the whole town’s — dreams, is contemplating several marriage proposals from his subordinates. In order to regain her sole admiration, Strephon must utilize both his manhood and his fairyhood to run both the parliament and the forest.
Due to asbestos issues in Moyse Hall, this production was performed at the Plaza Theatre. As a result, the orchestra, which usually performed in the pit, played alongside the actors on stage. This had to have been the best unintentional incorporation of the two most essential parts of musical theatre I’ve ever seen. Iolanthe was worth a watch purely to see the look of ecstasy on musical director, Noah Century, as he conducted the band.
“It’s extremely demanding and stressful while it’s happening, but then when we get to it being put together, and we’re performing it … everything sounds fantastic. It’s so worth it. It’s so perfect,” Century said, watching the orchestra rehearse on stage. “They sound amazing up there, and we haven’t even started.”
“Whimsical” was the word Century thought encapsulated Iolanthe. Like Quinsey, his directing process was tinged with deja-vu; in 2018 he’d performed this operetta as a pit musician, and was now acting as the musical director.
From the costumes, to the sets, to the performances, Iolanthe was certainly whimsical. The chancellors and the fairies were all elegantly and outlandish dressed, the “peers” (chancellors) wearing flowing velvet robes and the “peris” (fairies) flowery brown dresses. While some may imagine fairies as peaceful tree-hugging ditzes, the winged girls of Iolanthe live in a magical forest where the go-to penalty for crime is execution. Meanwhile, the nondescript British town their forest is located in follows the traditional British government structure, all under the control of the broken-hearted Lord Chancellor (Samuel Valentim-Gervais), who lies awake at night, teddy bear in hand, wondering why he’s been single for the last twenty-five years.
Iolanthe was, in a few words, “sublime,” and “wonderful,” and also “brilliant” according to lead actor Matthew Erskine. His performance, funnily enough, was also sublime, wonderful, and brilliant.
Magical character work and physical comedy intertwined in a hilarious and stage-stealing performance from Erskine, who played both a convincing fairy and parliamentarian. Iolanthe had some of the most creative and original comedy I’ve seen; the whole cast executed the satirical writing of Gilbert and Sullivan with complete dedication. Erskine and Stanek portrayed star-crossed lovers, separated by the former’s fairyness, with the overdramatic flare of Romeo and Juliet and the airy goofiness of a ‘90s romcom. Their chemistry was truly a treat to witness and something I’d be lucky to see again.
Iolanthe; or the Peer, and the Peri, was, in a word to me, “spirited.” The energy in the Plaza Theatre was unmatched, the performances were energetic and fun, and the plot was fantastical and comprehensive. All in all, it was a truly unique work that managed to make an audience laugh, and perhaps hope that forest fairies infiltrate the British parliament.