Ruddigore 2018

W.S. Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan
20th - 24th NOVEMBER 2018
STEWARTBY VILLAGE HALL - 7:30 Curtain
PROGRAMME - £1.50
https://www.facebook.com/StewartbyOperaticSociety
http://www.saods.org.uk

If you are keen on
musical theatre as
a performer, back
stage or front of
house, why not
give us a try?
Established in 1951 Stewartby Operatic
Society has produced a Gilbert and
Sullivan operetta in November each year
and concerts and light-hearted reviews at
other times.
We rehearse in Stewartby on Thursdays
and some Mondays and our main
performances are at Stewartby Village
Hall.
Our shows for 2019 will be a tribute to
100 years of the Bedfordshire Women’s
Institute and “The Pirates Of Penzance”.
To find out more visit our web site
www.saods.org.uk

STEWARTBY AMATEUR OPERATIC
AND DRAMATIC SOCIETY
PRESIDENT
Lady Skeet
VICE-PRESIDENTS:
Mr Allan Thomas, Mrs Prue Gardiner
Affiliated
to N.O.D.A
Mr & Mrs K. Blane
Mr C.D.G. Burton
Mrs B. Corney
Mrs S. Hale
Mr J. Hartop
PATRONS OF THE SOCIETY
Mrs P. Ireland
Mrs H Kentsbeer
Mrs G. Lecoche
Mrs C.H. Moule
Mr and Mrs A.G. Parfitt
Mr and Mrs R.J. Rayner
Mr and Mrs S. Simmons
Rev. and Mrs M. Wells
Mrs S. Woods
Mrs B. Wright
Mr and Mrs J. Wright
Laura Adams
John Gribble
Mr F. W. Hall
Mrs J. Gilder
HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS
Hilary Hull
Pam Ireland
Hazel Kentsbeer
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Mr A. Hunter
Pam Massey
Shirley Woods
Mr R. Hull
Mrs A. Stearn
OFFICERS
Chairman..........................................................................................Colin Jones
Deputy Chairman.............................................................................. John Epton
Secretary....................................................................................... Hazel Daniels
Treasurer & Business Manager........................................................Mike Cocke
Subscribers Secretary.........................................................................Jenny Hall
COMMITTEE
Shirley Hale
Bill Hall
Jenny Hall
Richard Hull
Pam Massey
Carol Urwin
The Society acknowledges, with grateful thanks, the financial support of
our President, Vice-Presidents and Patrons. Anyone who is interested in
becoming a Patron should contact our Secretary, Hazel Daniels,
Tel. 01908 616213.

Chairman’s Message
Good evening Ladies, Gentlemen and
Children.
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to
our production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s
Ruddigore, also titled The Witch’s
Curse. This was the tenth collaboration
of Gilbert and Sullivan and opened to
the public for the first time in January
1887. It is a parody of the Victorian
melodrama complete with a dastardly
villain, an innocent heroine and a gallery
of disgruntled ghosts.
I am delighted to welcome back Alana
Thackray as our musical director who has
been very kind to and tolerant with me,
in this my first year as Chairman of the Society,
and in my first role as director of a show.
Many thanks go to our scenic designers, Hazel
and John Daniels, our rehearsal pianists, Pam Rogers and Brian Caves,
and to everyone else who has contributed in any way, large or small, to
rehearsals, preparations and performances.
Thank you for your continued support and I hope to see you at our concert
next spring and our production of The Pirates of Penzance next November.
Have an entertaining evening and, if you enjoy what you see, why don’t you
consider joining us in a performing, backstage or front of house role.
A dvd recording of this performance will be produced by Wizard Video
Productions Ltd. If you would like a copy, priced £20, please see any member
of the Society.
If you would like to become a Patron of this Society please send your gift, however
small, to Hazel Daniels. “An acknowledgement will be sent”

Shirley Hale
Singing & Performance
Coaching
Tel: 01234 381394
For all types of voices.
Beginners Welcome.
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THE STORY OF THE OPERA
Our opera is set at a period which feels like the mid 1800s but could be almost any time.
Act I
The opera opens on a chorus of professional bridesmaids, gathered in the
Cornish village of Rederring, complaining of a lack of work. Dame Hannah
rejects their prompts and tells how her betrothal to Sir Roderic Murgatroyd
was long ago thwarted by a witch’s curse.
Rose Maybud is beloved of shy Robin Oakapple but he is actually Sir
Ruthven Murgatroyd masquerading as a young farmer to avoid the family
curse, which thus falls on his younger brother Despard, who
believes Ruthven dead.
Richard Dauntless undertakes to press Robin’s
suit with Rose and does it so successfully that he wins her for himself. Right
triumphs, however, and Rose decides to take Robin after all.
Richard, still acting on his heart’s dictates, reveals Robin’s existence to
Despard and denounces Robin as the true Baronet. Rose then returns to
Richard and Despard takes Mad Margaret, previously driven crazy by his
villainy and indifference to her.
Act II
In the portrait gallery of Ruddigore Castle, Robin is consulting Old
Adam about his daily crime when they are interrupted by Rose
and Richard who require his consent to their marriage. Robin
reluctantly gives it.
Once he is left alone the ghostly Murgatroyd ancestors emerge
to decry Robin’s crimes as too trivial. Sir Roderic demands that
a lady be carried off that very day. Old Adam, sent to do this,
brings back “a tiger cat” who becomes so ferocious that Robin
calls upon Sir Roderic to protect him. Sir Roderic recognises
the abducted lady as his betrothed of long ago.
Meanwhile Despard and Mad Margaret, now respectably in charge of a
National School, urge Robin to abandon his career of crime even at the cost
of his life. Robin sees a way out of his predicament and sets up the opera for
a happy ending and plenty of work for the corps of professional bridesmaids.

Andrew Hodges (Robin Oakapple)
Andrew has performed with SAODS for at least a decade.
Generally appearing in the chorus, this will be his second foray
into a principal part. Nine years ago, he played the part of Richard
Dauntless. Tonight, he has disguised himself as Robin Oakapple
and hopes, with great modesty, that you enjoy your evening.
Carol Urwin (Rose Maybud)
Carol has played all the soprano leads for SAODS, most of
them twice and has taken part in many concerts. Carol runs
in half-marathons to keep fit and has entered the London
marathon for 2019, raising money for breast cancer.
Peter Davis (Sir Despard Murgatroyd)
Peter has performed many roles with Stewartby over the
years. Apart from Stewartby and G&S he has performed as
Ben Rumson (Paint Your Wagon), Jerry Reynolds (Friend or
Foe), The King (the King and I), Bartolo (Marriage of Figaro)
and the Commendatore (Don Giovanni).
Linda Bowen (Mad Margaret)
Linda is delighted to be playing the role of Margaret again
with SAODS. She has performed many of the leading ladies
in the G&S canon from a terrifying Katisha to a luscious Lady
Jane and the leading role of Iolanthe last year.
Peter Stephens (Old Adam)
Peter is enjoying being with SAODS again after he played
the role of the Solicitor in our 2016 production of Patience.
He was generally admired as Private Willis in Iolanthe and is
pleased to be playing Old Adam.

MUSICAL NUMBERS
ACT I
The fishing village of Rederring, Cornwall
Overture
Fair Is Rose (chorus of bridesmaids and villagers, solo Zorah)
Sir Rupert Murgatroyd (Dame Hannah and chorus)
If Somebody There Chanced To Be (Rose)
I Know A Youth (Rose, Robin, Bruce and Wayne)
From The Briny Sea (chorus) and I Shipped, D’Ye See (Richard and chorus)
Dance (Richard)
My Boy, You May Take It From Me (Robin, Bruce and Wayne with Richard)
The Battle’s Roar Is Over (Richard and Rose)
If Well His Suit Has Sped (chorus of bridesmaids and villagers)
In Sailing O’er Life’s Ocean Wide (Richard, Rose, Robin, Bruce and Wayne)
Cheerily Carols The Lark (Margaret)
Welcome, Gentry (chorus)
Oh, Why Am I Moody And Sad? (Sir Despard and chorus)
You Understand? (Richard and Sir Despard)
Hail The Bride (Finale of Act 1) (ensemble)
Interval of 15 minutes between Acts
ACT II
The picture gallery, open to the public, at Ruddigore Castle, a week later
I Once Was As Meek (Robin and Adam)
Happily Coupled Are We (Richard, Rose and chorus)
In Bygone Days (Rose, Robin and Richard with chorus)
Painted Emblems Of A Race (chorus with Sir Roderic and Robin)
When the Night Wind Howls (Sir Roderic and chorus)
He Yields! (chorus and Sir Roderic)
I Once Was A Very Abandoned Person (Despard and Margaret)
My Eyes Are Fully Open (Despard, Margaret and Bruce)
There Grew A Little Flower (Dame Hannah with Sir Roderic)
When A Man Has Been A Naughty Baronet (Finale of Act 2) (ensemble)

Or
The Witch’s Curse
Produced and Directed by
COLIN JONES
Composed by Arthur Sullivan
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Rose Maybud (a fair village maiden)............................. Carol Urwin
Dame Hannah (Rose’s aunt)................................ Margaret Snape
Robin Oakapple (a gentleman farmer (but, in truth
Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd, in disguise)).........................Andrew Hodges
Old Adam Goodheart (Robin’s faithful servant)........ Peter Stephens
Richard Dauntless
(Robin’s foster brother, a mariner)...................................Charles Mills
Sir Despard Murgatroyd (a wicked baronet)..................Peter Davis
Mad Margaret (a simple soul).................................... Linda Bowen
Sir Roderic Murgatroyd
(the twenty-first baronet of Ruddigore)...............................David Crew
Zorah (a professional bridesmaid).............................. Jessica Hallett
Ruth (a professional bridesmaid)...................................Sandra Buck
Bruce (a friend of Robin).............................................. Colin Jones
Wayne (a friend of Robin).......................................... Chris Hodges

Written by W. S. Gilbert
MUSICAL DIRECTOR
ALANA THACKRAY
Ghosts
Mike Cocke, John Epton, Richard Hardwick, Chris Hodges,
Rob Jones, Michael Webster
Other Professional Bridesmaids
Margaret Brown, Hazel Daniels, Jan Faulkner, Wendy Field, Molly
Foster, Juliet Jones, Carol Wallman, Jenny Walker
Other villagers, visitors and ghosts
Elinor Ashby, Mike Cocke, John Epton, Richard Hardwick, Rob
Jones, Val Lowe, Jenny Jackson, Margaret Magee, Pam Massey,
Michael Webster, Susan Wells, Becky Wright,
Chorus singers
Shirley Hale, Jenny Hall, Hilary Hull, Doreen Hunter
PLEASE, TURN OFF YOUR PHONES AND
NO PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE AUDITORIUM

Charles Mills (Richard Dauntless)
Charles balances his day job as finance director of Graeae
Theatre Company with evenings spent on the amateur
stage and in chamber choirs. He has just appeared in PBGS
production of “A Little Night Music” and is pleased to be
playing Richard again and dancing the “hornpipe”
Jessica Hallett (Zorah)
Jessica joined SAODS in 2016 for the production of Patience
and is back for more. She has recently played Petra (A
Little Night Music) with PBGS and performs annually with
Bedfordshire Youth Opera, including playing Madame Armfeldt
(ALNM) and more recently “The Old Lady With One Buttock”
(Candide). She is certainly relieved to have both buttocks for
this show.
Margaret Snape (Dame Hannah)
Margaret fell in love with G&S at an early age and has sung
most of the mezzo roles with local societies. When not on
stage she can be found directing or choreographing, but her
first love is treading the boards. She is delighted to be playing
Dame Hannah
David Crew (Sir Roderic Murgatroyd)
Having played most of the G&S baritone leads and a range
of non-G&S roles, David was honoured to receive the 2014
NODA area award for Best Male Performance and two further
nominations since. David is delighted to re-join SAODS to play
Sir Roderic again – 44 years on!
Sandra Buck (Ruth)
Sandra joined Stewartby in 2005 and has since done many
G&S productions in the chorus. She has also performed with
Show Co, Bedford. Last year she played Fleta and is pleased
to be Ruth, a bridesmaid.

Violins
Double Bass
Flute
Clarinet
Bassoon
Oboe
French Horn
Piano/Keyboard
Drums
ORCHESTRA
Pam Davies
Maggie Bullen
Naomi Morris
Jenny Brown
Simon Andrews
Susan Sims
Tessa Shepherds
Janet Butlin
Kate Young
Brian Caves
James Andrew
Musical Director: ALANA THACKRAY
Orchestral arrangement supplied by Martin Paterson of Pattersong Music. For
more information about this and other similar G&S arrangements please visit
www.pattersong.co.uk
Christopher Hodges (Wayne)
Following previous appearances in ‘Audience’ and ‘Band’ this
will be Chris’s first appearance on the Stewartby stage. Chris
has appeared this year in The Sorcerer with ALGSS, Top Hat with
MKSD and Don Giovanni with Felici. He is looking forward to
portraying Wayne and helping his good friend Robin to find love.
Colin Jones (Bruce)
Having pottered in the production of Pinafore as Sir Joseph
Porter, and in Patience as the bumbling , book-bound
Bunthorne, Colin left the lowly lords to shine as the Shadow
Chancellor in Iolanthe and this is his first production as director.

1 Bedford Street,
Ampthill, Beds
Tel: 01525 841199
www.ampthillfireplaces.co.uk
Mon - Fri: 10am - 5pm
Sat: 10am - 4pm
Some Things You Didn’t Know You
Didn’t Know About Ruddigore
Ruddigore was the first of Gilbert
and Sullivan’s operettas to receive
a poor reception from its firstnight
audience.
Vincent Price played the role of Sir
Despard Murgatroyd to Keith
Michell’s Robin Oakapple in a 1982
video version.
“I know a maid …”
The original title of the
operetta was Ruddygore
but this caused
considerable offence and
was considered
unsuitable for a family
audience. A friend
commented to Gilbert
that he saw no difference
between Ruddygore and
Bloodygore which gained
the response “Then I
suppose you’ll take it that
if I say I admire your
ruddy countenance I
mean I like your bloody
cheek”. Within a few days
Gilbert changed the title
to Ruddigore.
the ghosts’
high noon
Gilbert included Ruddigore as one
of his three favourite operettas.
The name Ruthven (pronounced
“Rivven”) was banned in Scotland
in the 17th century after the Earl
of Gowrie, whose family name was
Ruthven, kidnapped James VI of
Scotland.
Baronets are members of Britain’s
lowest hereditary titled order.

THE PRODUCTION TEAM
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION..............................................Colin Jones
MUSICAL DIRECTOR......................................................Alana Thackray
REHEARSAL PIANISTS.................................. Brian Caves, Pam Rogers
ORCHESTRAL SCORES......................................................“Pattersong”
STAGE MANAGER..........................................................Robin Lawrence
STAGE CREW............................................John Daniels, Jack Lawrence
SCENIC ARTISTS & CONSTRUCTION.......Hazel Daniels, John Daniels
LIGHTING DESIGN & OPERATION............ Jack Lawrence, Richard Hull
LIGHTING EQUIPMENT...................................................... Bubbles Hire
HOUSE MANAGERS.............................................Friends of the Society
COSTUMES.......................................................Dress Circle Costumiers
BOX OFFICE............................................................Bill Hall, Mike Cocke
PUBLICITY & CAST PHOTOGRAPHS..................................Colin Jones
PROGRAMMES & USHERS..................................Friends of the Society
PROPERTIES..................... Hilary Hull, Margaret Brown, Carol Wallman
SAODS WEB SITE.................................................................Colin Jones
PROGRAMME.............................................. John Epton, Stephen Hoath

OBITUARY
It is with sadness we mourn the death of four of our members. Raymond
Massey joined Stewartby whilst still at school and played a number of
leads. Alan Wright was for a number of years to be found helping with
lighting, scenery and as stage crew. June Swain was a soprano with a
tremendous voice, an actress and a dancer. Joan Caves was for many
years our wardrobe mistress and helped front of house.
They will be missed by all who knew them and we extend our sympathy
to all families and friends.
“Is life a boon?
If so, it must befall that Death,
when e’er he call, must call too soon”

THE SOCIETY EXPRESSES ITS SINCERE THANKS TO
Everyone who has made this production possible including,
Stewartby United Church. St John Ambulance.
Stewartby Village Hall and Bar Staff.
Printers: Fidelity of Wilstead.
Publicity: Shirley Hale and Colin Jones.
Refreshments: Friends of the Society.
Raffle: Linda Hopkins and friends
Pam Massey and Richard Hull who have ‘refreshed us’
on rehearsal evenings.
The firms who have advertised in the programme and we respectfully
call your attention to their announcements.
TO YOU for your attendance and support.
We wish you all a pleasant and enjoyable evening.
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OUR PAST PRODUCTIONS
The Pirates of Penzance 1951, 1958, 1969, 1982, 1991, 2001, 2010
HMS Pinafore 1952, 1962, 1971, 1980, 1988, 1996, 2006, 2015
Patience 1953, 1959, 1974, 1984, 1997, 2007, 2016
The Gondoliers 1954, 1963, 1976, 1985, 1994, 2003, 2012
Iolanthe 1956, 1967, 1975, 1986, 1998, 2008, 2017
The Mikado 1957, 1966, 1978, 1987, 1995, 2004, 2013
The Sorcerer 1960, 1977, 1992, 2005, 2014
Ruddigore 1961, 1970, 1979, 1989, 2000, 2009
Trial by Jury 1962, 1975, 1988, 2001
Yeomen of the Guard 1964, 1973, 1983, 1993, 2002, 2011
Princess Ida 1965, 1972, 1981, 1990, 1999
Utopia Ltd 1968
Cox and Box 1977, 2006
The Zoo 1996
S . A . O . D . S P r o u d l y P r e s e n t
16th, 17th and 18th May, 2019
Gilbert and Sullivan’s
The Pirates Of Penzance
19th to 23rd November, 2019

CAST PHOTOGRAPH 2018
NEW MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME