Dr. Daly's (my) wardrobe malfunction in The Sorcerer. - GSCSB 1994 - Video

The last production of the Gilbert & Sullivan Company of Santa Barbara was The Sorcerer on May 14, 1994 at the Lobero Theatre. The basic plot device concerns a love potion that has been served to the entire village that causes each person who takes it to fall in love on waking with the first person (of the opposite sex, this is Victorian England after all) they see. It should be no surprise that odd matches occur.

I will digitize the entire performance but this video is the scene late in Act II where Dr. Daly, the Vicar of Ploverleigh, played by yours truly, sings of his lovelorn state as he feels that everyone in the village has fallen in love but him. "Oh, my voice is sad and low".

No sooner does he finish his lament than Aline, the usual lovely young G&S soprano played to perfection by Lisa Ostendorf, having just swallowed the love potion, sees Dr. Daly first and they rush into each other's arms to sing, "Oh, joyous boon! oh, mad delight".

The highlight of this mad rush, which I remember vividly thirty two years later, was the choice of my rather enormous wig to become airborne as I ran to Aline. Luckily I caught it and managed to continue the scene but the audience was laughing with great enthusiasm at my wardrobe malfunction and I could barely keep a straight face. Lisa, ever the professional, never missed a note and I caught up with her in the duet after a few measures.

Last thoughts - Dr. Daly is to play a flageolet during his lament, with a flute in the orchestra to provide the music. I asked our Musical Director Anne Anderson if she would allow me to play it myself on stage using a sopranino recorder. Anne and I had played in recorder ensembles in the past and she agreed enthusiastically.