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A group of out-of-work actors are warming themselves around a brazier outside the Royal Opera House, closed because a promised donation from a major benefactor has not been forthcoming. A scruffy stanger arrives and asks to share the warmth from the brazier, then begins to tell them his tale of woe.
He is Septimus Golightly, and his story begins at public school where he and his friend, Horatio Bunthunder are planning their futures on leaving school. Septimus' parents have sent money to fund a celebration of his graduation and are coming to be there themselves. They are confidence trickers, his father writes begging letters and his mother 'faints' in the street to elicit sympathy from passers-by. A policeman arrives to arrest his father, after which he is tried and sent to prison. Now Septimus must change his plans, there will be no money to send him to University, he must take up a profession. Lacking his fathers talent in writing he chooses to be apprenticed to a burglar, Jeremiah Stoneleigh. He soon shows little talent for that either, and Jeremiah is only dissuaded from dismissing him by the intervention of his daughter Elvira, who has developed an affection for Septimus. Jeremiah takes Septimus along to burgle the home of the Marchioness of Market Harborough. Left alone in the music room, Septimus is startled on Jermiah's return and shoots him.
Septimus then marries Elvira and inherits the 'family business' along with a considerable fortune. Making a donation to the Marchioness of Market-Harborough's favourite charity, the Society to Provide More Bishops, Septimus and Elvira are invited to a ball at her home. Recklessly, Septimus promises another sizeable donation, but on their return home they find they have been burgled and all their fortune is gone. Elvira is recognising her mistake in marrying Septimus, he is a wastrel and an incompetent. She consults her fathers logs of potential houses to burgle and sends Septimus to burgle the home of Ebenezer Fudge, celebrated designer of dados. Septimus breaks in but is promptly caught by Ebenezer and forced to strip and flee the home with only an antimacassar to protect his modesty. Falling into the hands of the law, he is taken before a judge who in light of his incompetence sentences him to only six months. Septimus protests that so short a sentence is an insult to his professional standing and demands it be at least a year. Ther judge retaliates and sets him free immediately! Returning home Septimus discovers that the real Ebenezer Fudge died some time ago, and that the man who caught him was in fact another burglar. Worse, that his wife set him up! Septimus is cast aside. Even his parents, his father being released from jail for 'grassing' on other inmates, were emigrating to Australia without him.
And so poor Septimus is wandering the streets and happens upon the band of actors. Just as he completes his story a package arrives, it is the promised funds to re-open the Opera House. The actors celebrate. When they are finished Septimus is gone. Now what happened to that package?
This is more than just a Gilbert and Sullivan inspired piece. The libretto is based upon a short story by W. S. Gilbert and the music is all Sullivan's, taken from orchestral or other works that did not already have words to it. The result is a wonderfully new and original comic opera in the best traditions of Gilbert and Sullivan. The comedy is perhaps a little darker and less subtle than Gilberts own writings, but is is certainly funny and ingenious.
Played out on a minimalistic set, with costumes that were effective and well made, this was a wonderful piece of (albeit fake) Victoriana.
Ahmet Ahmet as Septimus was the star of the show. He played his role with great sang-froid and his diction was excellent making every word crystal clear. Helen Massey as Elvira displayed a beautiful singing voice that many brough many of the best musical moments to the piece. Tom Raskin gave a workmanlike if none too taxing performance in the role of Horation Bunthunder whilst the remainder of the small but highly talented cast, Zoe Ann Bown, Ian Belsey, Louis Crane and Phillip Cox were all called upon to fulfill multiple roles with some aplomb.
A riveting and original operetta in the best traditions of its inspirers.