Rhymes and trills

Ocean State Light Opera's rousing Gondoliers

by Johnette Rodriguez

THE GONDOLIERS. By Gilbert & Sullivan. Directed by Judith Swift. With Shana Rose Harvey, Thomas Oesterling, Mark Morgan, Heidi Lynn Anderson, Thomas Epstein, Roberta Janelle, Kaja Kjestine Schuppert, Mark Conley, and Michael Popowich. At the Lincoln School Theatre, Butler Ave., Providence, through June 28.

Gilbert and Sullivan operettas and summer seem to go together -- light and airy with occasional thunderstorms and lots of romance. Indeed Ocean State Lyric Opera's current production of The Gondoliers opens with a bevy of maidens tying bouquets of "Roses White and Roses Red" to woo the Venetian gondoliers. The Gilbert rhymes and Sullivan trills are there from the start, and when the two star gondoliers, Marco and Giuseppe, appear to proclaim "We're Called Gondolieri" (rhymes with "honorary"), the characteristic braggadocio (though almost always tongue-in-cheek) of G&S's male characters has begun.

Under Judith Swift's skillful stage direction and Ann Danis's spirited musical direction, The Gondoliers moves fleet and nimble toward its plot resolutions. For no sooner have the gondoliers (portrayed in fine fettle by Thomas Oesterling and Mark Morgan) decided on brides (Shana Rose Harvey as Tessa and Heidi Lynn Anderson as Gianetta) than the second plot thread is spun.

The Spanish Duke of Plaza-Toro (given humorous pomposity by Thomas Epstein) and his entourage arrive in Venice: "His Grace's Duchess true" (Roberta Janelle), "His Grace's daughter too" (Kaja Kjestine Schuppert as the charming Casilda) and their "suite," consisting only of a drummer called Luiz (rendered funny and endearing by Mark Conley). The Duke bemoans the lack of a full band to herald their arrival but Luiz does the best he can, demonstrating his ability to become an entire barnyard of animals.

This quartet enters with one of those G&S staccato choruses about "never, ever, ever, ever" going to sea again, and after each one relates his or her tale of woe, they mime their nausea and seasickness. Next the Duke tells his daughter that she was married in infancy to the infant prince of Barataria, who has just inherited the kingdom, and they have come to Venice to locate him, since he was kidnapped by the Grand Inquisitor and raised by a gondolier. Of course, when the G.I. appears (Michael Popowich as the imperious Don Alhambra del Bolero), he confesses that the prince was raised with the gondolier's son and what with the gondolier's "tippling," and his untimely death, no one knows which is the royal "stripling" -- Marco or Giuseppe.

Since Marco and Giuseppe are newly married but one was wed in infancy to Casilda, this raises the issue of two men and three wives, or two-thirds of a man per woman -- whereupon Tessa declares she won't be linked to a "vulgar fraction." Meanwhile Luiz and Casilda have professed their love for each other in two lovely duets and Luiz mentions in passing that his mother had been the nurse for the infant Baratarian prince. Aha! That story.

The second act takes place three months later at the king's palace in Barataria, where Marco and Guiseppe are reigning jointly and attempting a very democratic rule (helping out their servants with various duties), only to be admonished by Don Alhambra that if "everybody's somebody, then nobody's anybody." If everyone wears cloth of gold and satin, then the value of "shoddy" is driven up, he further explains.

This is Gilbert and Sullivan satire at its best, though the operetta pokes fun at just about every tradition -- from Wesleyan Methodists to the Grand Inquisitor torturing the nurse, from bands wanting to be paid ahead of time to the Duke leading his troops in retreats instead of charges. Swift also takes every opportunity to wink at the silliness on stage by the singers' confidential glances at the audience, by their reaching for small props from the orchestra members and by playing with convention -- Tessa carries Guiseppe offstage instead of being the dainty maiden picked up by the burly dude.

The Gondoliers contains captivating dance numbers by choreographer Caroline Paino -- simple but stylized moves, one drawing on the tarantella and one on flamenco. Indeed the emphasis on as much movement as possible throughout the songs as well as prancing and singing in the aisles of Lincoln School's auditorium greatly enhances this production.

The Gondoliers (1889) was Gilbert and Sullivan's last successful collaboration and a great hit with Victorian audiences. Through much strife, they managed to create two more operettas after The Gondoliers, but they were not well-received. Since this is Ocean State's only summer production this year (they're preparing for Rigoletto in late September), catch it while you can. If you're a G&S fan, you'll love it. If not, you might become a convert.

The Gondoliers will be presented June 26 and 27 at 8 p.m. and June 28 at 7 p.m. at the Lincoln School Theater, Butler Avenue, Providence. Call 331-6060.