Peak District theatre company to present G&S gem

Some of the UK’s top amateur performers will gather in the Peak District next week to present a dazzling production of an English operatic classic. Local theatre company PB Theatricals has gained a national reputation for producing top-quality shows in ambitious timeframes. This year is no different, as they take on Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Gondoliers, with just one week between auditions and performances.

“This is a really exciting year for PB Theatricals,” says company chair, Jamie Benson.

“We’re welcoming a record number of participants and an incredible creative team – and of course, The Gondoliers is a true gem of a show.”

The operetta in question tells a tale of two gondoliers, who find out that one of them has inherited the throne of the Island of Barataria – the problem is, no-one knows which brother it is! The Gondoliers is a tale of mistaken identity, forbidden love, and of course, all of the topsy-turvy rollicking humour characteristic of Gilbert & Sullivan. Set in beautiful Venice, this much-loved work contains some of Sullivan’s most magical music, including classic tenor aria Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes. The group will be performing in both Chapel-en-le-Frith and Bakewell, with 25 young adults descending on the area from around the country. Many are taking part in the summer programme for the first time this year. One of them is Adam Gill, who is swapping York city-centre stages for a break in the Peak District.

“I’m excited to get started with PBT on The Gondoliers,” he says. “Learning a full show in a week is daunting, but I know that the cast and creatives at PBT are excellent at what they do and I can’t wait to work with them.”

And it’s not just participants who travel in from around the country – the group pulls in audiences from far and wide. Audience members Michael and Julie Gardner have been making the trip to Bakewell from Newcastle for the past two years.

“PB Theatricals always put on an incredible show – it’s staggering what they pull together in just a week.”

“We’re so excited to see what they do with The Gondoliers.”

PBT Publicity Coordinator Liddy Buswell has been involved with the company since 2018: “I’m always astonished by what we manage to achieve with PBT, but it’s particularly great that we’ve become so renowned over the past few years. As a Derbyshire lass myself, I’m always thrilled to bring people into our beautiful county. And it makes me so happy that PB Theatricals is providing such a fabulous introduction to Gilbert
& Sullivan to both performers and spectators alike. The Gondoliers is going to be a real treat – don’t miss out!”

PB Theatricals presents The Gondoliers.
Performances: Saturday 15th August, 7.30pm, The Chapel-en-le-Frith Playhouse & Sunday
16th August, 2.30pm, The Bakewell Medway Centre.
Tickets: £14 adults, £10 concessions, available at tickts.co.uk/events/the-gondoliers or
reserve by email at enquiries@pbtheatricals.org