Join Thos and Michael Rice as they conclude the fascinating story of Gilbert and Sullivan as they trace their heyday and the latter part of their careers from Patience to The Grand Duke, and hear a rare rendition of the earliest surviving G&S number, Little Maid of Arcadee….

Listening to this episode - I can hear the similarities between TS Elliot (mostly for Cats) and the lyrics and music of G&S. (Minus the odd scansion)

The patter songs in Cats do sound pretty G&S esque.

I saw an amateur production of Patience once that updated the concept by using goths for aesthetes and (American) football players for soldiers. Though I would have preferred a traditional production for my first time seeing the show, I think it did work for the most part.

What recordings did you use in these episodes? Several of them sound quite American.

No American ones so far as I know, though the Martyn Green ones (the patter songs) were recorded in America in the 1950s so the chorus is not British - you might be picking up a twang or two there. Which extracts were you thinking of?

Thos