Gilbert and Sullivan Trivia Quiz

Answer: When I was a lad

"H.M.S. Pinafore" was the fourth collaboration between Gilbert and Sullivan. It opened in London in 1878 and was popular not only in England but also in America. Like many of their operettas it pokes fun at the establishment of the time, in particular the English class system.

"When I was a lad" charts the rise of Sir Joseph Porter from the time he joined a law firm in a position so lowly he "polished up the handle of the big front door", to becoming First Lord of the Admiralty. As he is at some pains to point out he accomplished all this without ever actually going to sea.

Answer: Major General

"Pirates of Penzance" opened in New York in 1879 where it was very well received by both critics and audiences. The London opening was in April 1880. It was their fifth collaboration, and is still often performed today. A 1981 production won the Tony award for Best Revival.

"Major General" has been much parodied, but lyrically it is a tour de force. Imagine having to not only memorise, but also enunciate clearly "In conics I can floor peculiarities parabolous".

Answer: Behold the Lord High Executioner

"The Mikado" was the ninth Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. It opened in London in 1885 and was so popular that it was estimated that by the end of that year some 150 separate productions were running worldwide. Set in Japan it was a thinly disguised satire of the British political system.

"Behold the Lord High Executioner" is the song sung by Ko-Ko and the chorus. Ko-Ko is in fact a criminal condemned to death for flirting, so, because he was next in line to be executed, the town of Titipu appointed him Executioner. He cannot execute anyone until he has executed himself, and suicide is a crime. With this resolution in place the residents of Titipu can safely flirt with each other to their hearts content.

Answer: The law is the true embodiment

"Iolanthe", the seventh Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, was the first to premier at the Savoy Theatre. It opened in 1882, and, as the Savoy was the first theatre in London to be wired for electricity, the audience were treated to special effects such as sparkling fairy wands.

The plot centres on a dispute between a group of fairies and the House of Lords. As with many of their works it is also a lighthearted satire of the British legal and political system.

"The law is the true embodiment" is sung by a chorus of peers of the realm and the Lord Chancellor as they arrive to judge the case.

Answer: To help unhappy commoners

"The Gondoliers" is the twelfth Gllbert and Sullivan comic opera. It is set partly in Venice and partly in a mythical kingdom ruled over by two gondoliers. It is a satire on class distinction, and by using a foreign setting the satire was able to be directed at the Monarchy itself. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre in 1889

"To help unhappy commoners" is sung by the Duke and Duchess of Plazo Toro in an attempt to educate the two gondoliers on proper etiquette and aristocratic behaviour.

Answer: Tower Warders under orders

The eleventh of their fourteen collaborations saw Gilbert and Sullivan in a less comic mood. "The Yeoman of the Guard" ends with a broken hearted main character, and the satire and plot complications are much less than in other productions. It premiered at the Savoy Theatre in 1888.

"Tower Warders under orders" is sung by the yeoman (beefeaters) and in part reflects the easy life they now have compared to when they were on active military service.

Answer: When I good friends was called to the bar

"Trial by Jury" opened in 1875. Although it was Gilbert and Sullivan's second collaboration, it was some three years after their first, "Thespis", which was written for a Christmas performance. Regrettably no published libretto of "Thespis" survives. "Trial by Jury" satirises the legal profession, a theme the two were to return to often. The plot revolves around a breach of promise prosecution.

"When I good friends was called to the bar" is sung by the judge, and recounts his rise in the legal profession. Much of this was down to marrying the somewhat ugly daughter of a rich attorney.

Answer: If you give me your attention

The eighth Gilbert and Sullivan work was not as well received as their previous productions. There was no particular reason for this, as it embodied all the satire and wit they were known for, this time turned in the direction of feminism and women's education. It opened in January 1884 and closed earlier than planned.

"If you give me your attention" is sung by King Gama, who cannot understand why, with all he does for others, people tend to find him unpleasant.

Answer: Sir Rupert Murgatroyd

"Ruddigore", number ten of the fourteen Gilbert and Sullivan collaborations, is high Victorian melodrama as far as the plot is concerned. It is set in a Cornish fishing village where a past Lord of the Manor hunted witches. A dying witch placed a curse on him which carries on down through the generations. With ghosts, a poor but virtuous maiden, and a villain who carries her off, it really did have everything.

"Sir Rupert Murgatroyd" is the song that explains how the curse came to be placed and the effect it has had down the years.

Answer: A King of autocratic power we

This penultimate Gilbert and Sullivan offering was nowhere near as successful as their previous collaborations, and their final effort, "The Grand Duke", was a complete failure. "Utopia, Limited" satirised Limited Liability Companies, and in particular the fact that a bankrupt company could leave creditors unpaid with the owners having no liability at all. It also poked fun at the whole British Empire idea.

The King of Utopia sings "A King of autocratic power we" when he makes his first entrance.