G&S WA is pleased to present the penultimate operetta by WS Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan, Utopia, Limited.
This rarely performed and lushly tropical G&S gem will be directed by Alan Needham (Ruddigore, HMS Pinafore), with musical direction by emerging artist, Bayden Adams.
A delightfully absurdist Victorian satire, Utopia, Limited depicts an imaginary island obsessed with British values and parodies the privatisation of public institutions, imperialism, and parliamentary peculiarities, with newspapers fixated on royal scandal.
The island kingdom of Utopia is ruled by King Paramount, a benign head of state covertly controlled by his powerful courtiers Scaphio and Phantis, and the constant threat of explosion.
Princess Zara, Paramount’s eldest daughter, having recently returned from many years at a British college, is keen to transform Utopia into a civilized society. Her English experts (the Flowers of Progress) advise all manner of Victorian Anglophile adoptions, from fashions and polite customs to the concept of persons as limited-liability entities, granting Utopians profits and personal immunity.
However, this disrupts the future plans of the courtiers, and they manage to convince the citizens of Utopia that the King is not to be trusted with his idealised actions to bring peace and prosperity to their island among the waves. Who will ultimately rule paradise?
Bubbling with burlesque wit and invention, Utopia, Limited is a must-see for G&S fans keen to complete the canon of one of the most successful musical theatre duos in history!
“Sophistication and wit are at the heart of Utopia, Limited” – The Opera Critic
“A rare chance to discover a wonderful score.” – Bachtrack
“The score is Sullivan at his most mature, elegantly interleaving ensembles, solos and choruses, and lightly brushed with orchestral magic.” – The Spectator
Content warning: Utopia, Limited is a fictional work of satire. The piece references colonialism and imperialism and contains discussion of assassination for comedic effect.