Meersbrook Park Church Operatic Society’s Patience – 6 March 2025, Meersbrook Park Church

Review by Claire Taranaski.

In the almost 10 years of reviewing amateur theatre in Sheffield until last night I had never seen or reviewed any Gilbert and Sullivan, which is even more surprising as I have previously attended an AGM of the company performing, the company turns 100 next year and I discovered there are at least two G&S focused companies in Sheffield. So in a change from usual reviews I’m going to start this with reasons to encourage all theatre fans to give G&S a chance based on my experience enjoying my first time far more than expected.

1. If you love classic musicals (two other names beginning with R&H come to mind) then this gives you the same musical feel.
2. Not a classic musical fan, but love musical comedy, this production was genuinely funny and not in a way that will go over non G&S fans heads (I had been nervous about this).
3. The themes Patience in particular covered (I can’t speak yet for other G&S productions) are relevant to a modern audience, from dating, to following the crowd and the power of fame. For a show first performed in 1881 it shows very little has changed and it would be interesting to see a student or youth company in Sheffield tackle a contemporary production of it.
4. I expected enthusiasm from the performers, and this was obvious from the very start, but this is equalled by beautiful operatic voices from every cast member from the leads to the ensemble.
5. I have never seen a more inclusive production, whatever your age (the show had the widest age range of any show I’ve seen) or mobility, all that matters is your singing voice and enthusiasm.

But this is not just a general review of G&S and my thoughts in general but of Meersbrook Park Church Operatic Society’s Patience (or Bunthorne’s Bride) and you cannot talk about any musical theatre without mentioning the cast and the songs.

My best performance of the night came from Loren Parker as the dairy maid Patience, who has amazing stage presence, naturally likeability and relatability and whose singing voice shocked me with its operatic power and passion, at it’s standout best in her solo number “Love Is A Plaintive Song”. Jenny Nortcliffe as The Lady Jane shared in the great stage presence and relatability, with a singing voice that gave me flashbacks to the choir at the high Church of England church I attended with my parents as a child. she also showed great a talent for comedy in her duet with Bunthorne “So Go To Him, And Say To Him”.

As a fan of the BBC sitcom Ghosts I would love to think Thomas Thorne would be proud of the passion of poets Reginald Bunthorne played by Tim Whitehead and Archibald Grosvenor (“Hollow, Hollow, Hollow” was a stand out). I also hope Jeremy Craven when he’s not playing Colonel Calverley uses his stand out performance of “If You Want A Receipt For That Popular Mystery” as his party piece.

I must also give a special mention to Judith Sephton for her enthusiastic symbol playing as the Lady Ella; and though wordless, beautifully danced and making me think of the likes jeremy and Jemima or Jane and Michael from the 1960s films of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins, Thomas and Isabella Waring as Young Archibald and Young Patience performed with a old school youthful innocence.

Other musical numbers that need a special mention are the act I finale “Let The Merry Cymbals Sound” which made use of the entire ensemble and showcased them at their best with clever laying and melody, whilst highlighting the power of a musical number to move a story onwards; and “It’s Clear That Mediaeval Art” which showcased the singing comedic talents of Jeremy Craven as the Colonel, Michael Bond as the Major and Richard Nortcliffe as the Duke and provided a hilarious lesson in trying to hard and in being aesthetic.

Beside the stage Peter Waring must be praised for playing the piano throughout without the need for a full orchestra; musical director in the front row Gwen Nimmo who brought out my fascination in watching people conduct and director Jo Hutchesson for along with Gwen bringing the best out of all the cast, whilst also making clever use of a large cast and small stage.

Whether you are already a G&S fan or needed some persuasion to give their operas a chance, I highly recommend you check out this production ahead of the company celebrating its centenary next year.

I didn’t leave the show with G&S becoming my theatrical genre of choice but I would be delighted and excited to see more G&S in the future and encourage other theatre fans to do the same.