Preston Gilbert & Sullivan Society will present its 2006 production “The Yeomen of the Guard” at the Playhouse Theatre, Preston January 18th to 21st and at the Lowther Pavilion, Lytham January 26th to 28th. The Musical Director is the award winning Nic Parker and this year the Society welcomes as Production Director, Ken Dagger. Ken is well-known in Fylde Coast circles as both a performer and producer with and Chairman of Marton Operatic Society.
 | | Sergeant Meryll and Yeomen |
“Yeomen” is a straightforward tale of love and mistaken identity and intentions in the shadow of an execution. Colonel Fairfax under sentence of death in the Tower of London marries a strolling player Elsie Maynard, to prevent his estate going to the man responsible for putting him in the Tower. Hoping to marry Elsie himself, the jester Jack Point agrees since he expects that she will soon be a widow – and on a consideration of 100 crowns also! However, after marrying Elsie, Fairfax escapes and is able to test her fidelity to him by wooing her. She of course does not recognize him, as she was blindfolded at the wedding ceremony and rejects him out of loyalty to her unseen husband. When ‘Fairfax’ is apparently shot dead trying to escape, Elsie can now happily accept him under his assumed name of ‘Leonard Meryll’. But then the real Leonard arrives with the reprieve, Fairfax comes back to life and Elsie is now heartbroken because she thinks she is still married to ‘Fairfax’ and cannot therefore marry her ‘Leonard’. Despite the somewhat dark nature of the plot at times, Gilbert manages to produce some of his greatest comic scenes and Sullivan produces some of his most memorably singable music. Tickets are £8 with £6 concessions [not Saturdays]. Preston tickets may be obtained from the Preston Tourist Information Centre 01772 253731. Lytham tickets may be obtained from the Lowther Box Office 01253 658666. For more information see the Society's web site www.gs.uwclub.net or contact Irvine Bell on 01253 738070 or email gs@uwclub.net . | 
