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Iolanthe: or The Peer and the Peri
The partnership between William Schwenck Gilbert and Arthur Seymour Sullivan and their canon of Savoy Operas is rightly lauded by all lovers of comic opera the world over. Gilbert’s sharp, funny words and Sullivan’s deliciously lively and hummable tunes create a world that is distinctly British in view but has the world as its audience. Both men were exceptionally talented and gifted in their own right and wrote much, often with other partners, that still stands the test of time. However, together as a team they created Light or Comic Operas of a standard that have had no rivals equal to their standard, before or since. That’s quite an achievement. To be recognised by the critics is one thing but their commercial success was incredible. The profits were astronomical, allowing for the building of their own purpose built theatre – The Savoy Theatre. Beginning with the first of their fourteen collaborations, Thespis in 1871 and travelling through many classics including The Sorcerer (1877), H.M.S. Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1879), The Mikado (1885), The Gondoliers (1889) to their finale in 1896 with The Grand Duke, Gilbert & Sullivan created a legacy that is constantly revived and admired in theatres and other media to this very day.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1882
2 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
W.S. Gilbert
733 books35 followersBritish playwright and lyricist Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) wrote a series of comic operas, including
Her Majesty's Ship Pinafore
(1878) and
The Pirates of Penzance
(1879), with composer Sir Arthur Sullivan.
This English dramatist, librettist, poet, and illustrator in collaboration with composer Sullivan produced fourteen comic operas, which include The Mikado , one of the most frequently performed works in the history of musical theatre.
Opera companies, repertory companies, schools and community theatre groups throughout and beyond the English-speaking world continue to perform regularly these operas as well as most of their other Savoy operas. From these works, lines, such as "short, sharp shock", "What, never? Well, hardly ever!", and "Let the punishment fit the crime," form common phrases of the English language.
Gilbert also wrote the Bab Ballads , an extensive collection of light verse, which his own comical drawings accompany.
His creative output included more than 75 plays and libretti, numerous stories, poems, lyrics and various other comic and serious pieces. His plays and realistic style of stage direction inspired other dramatists, including Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw. According to The Cambridge History of English and American Literature , the "lyrical facility" of Gilbert "and his mastery of metre raised the poetical quality of comic opera to a position that it had never reached before and has not reached since."
This English dramatist, librettist, poet, and illustrator in collaboration with composer Sullivan produced fourteen comic operas, which include The Mikado , one of the most frequently performed works in the history of musical theatre.
Opera companies, repertory companies, schools and community theatre groups throughout and beyond the English-speaking world continue to perform regularly these operas as well as most of their other Savoy operas. From these works, lines, such as "short, sharp shock", "What, never? Well, hardly ever!", and "Let the punishment fit the crime," form common phrases of the English language.
Gilbert also wrote the Bab Ballads , an extensive collection of light verse, which his own comical drawings accompany.
His creative output included more than 75 plays and libretti, numerous stories, poems, lyrics and various other comic and serious pieces. His plays and realistic style of stage direction inspired other dramatists, including Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw. According to The Cambridge History of English and American Literature , the "lyrical facility" of Gilbert "and his mastery of metre raised the poetical quality of comic opera to a position that it had never reached before and has not reached since."
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 3, 2014
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2019
I've never read anything by Gilbert and Sullivan... This was a gem. Found it in this amazing vintage shop on Mill Road, Cambridge, and absolutely HAD to buy it. Well, wouldn't you, if you saw the last page illustrations of all English Parliament flying in the skies of London with FAIRY WINGS! With Fairies at their arms!?! I mean. Yes, please.
Although this was an odd tale, and I loved the lyrics (was originally an Opera ?) With all the Beautiful illustrations, I think I now have my share of 60's illustration books to understand the style. And I'm not so keen on them as I was when I started this journey. I don't know, I won't stop really, I'll keep finding these odd stories and share them with you all. But I can't quite put the thought to words. There's a hidden layer to all the prettiness and weirdness that is actually quite sickly - it's the contrast between real and fantasy, the contrast of "I'm giving you all a message but you won't see it clearly because I'm going to hide it in the weird illustration style or the pretty fantasy"... Which is obviously so clever and exactly what books do. But these 60's/70's illustration books have this vibe to them like no other books.
Anybody else found this to be true?
Although this was an odd tale, and I loved the lyrics (was originally an Opera ?) With all the Beautiful illustrations, I think I now have my share of 60's illustration books to understand the style. And I'm not so keen on them as I was when I started this journey. I don't know, I won't stop really, I'll keep finding these odd stories and share them with you all. But I can't quite put the thought to words. There's a hidden layer to all the prettiness and weirdness that is actually quite sickly - it's the contrast between real and fantasy, the contrast of "I'm giving you all a message but you won't see it clearly because I'm going to hide it in the weird illustration style or the pretty fantasy"... Which is obviously so clever and exactly what books do. But these 60's/70's illustration books have this vibe to them like no other books.
Anybody else found this to be true?
October 24, 2014
As mentioned in my reviews of other Gilbert and Sullivan, I read this as part of the Kindle edition of "The Complete Plays of Gilbert and Sullivan" & watched a video of it while reading.
This was my first experience with Iolanthe and it made me laugh in several places. Don't be put off by the odd juxtaposition of fairies (the fabled kind) and politics - strangely it works well in the typical topsy-turvey Gilbert and Sullivan manner.
This was my first experience with Iolanthe and it made me laugh in several places. Don't be put off by the odd juxtaposition of fairies (the fabled kind) and politics - strangely it works well in the typical topsy-turvey Gilbert and Sullivan manner.
June 26, 2017
Fairies take over Parliament. I mean, come on.
May 26, 2017
"Iolanthe" seems to be one of those forgotten gems of the Gilbert and Sullivan canon- it's not in the big three, and it's not a major addition like "Trial by Jury" in popular culture, but it's a little more original, blending the social satire with outright fantasy elements (attempted and somewhat failed in "Thespis"), and indulging in wit for its own sake with a little less guilt or smarm than "Patience" did. Though none of the big ballads here are essential, the patter song par excellence "The Lord Chancellor's Nightmare Song" is a cult classic, performed on solo albums by both Mandy Patinkin and Todd Rundgren.
July 9, 2019
[rating = B-]
Though I liked it better than the Gondoliers, it was not as good as its predecessor nor its successor. The music was lively and fun; the lyrics humorous and lilting, yet it did not go far enough with its mockery of British Parliament or of aristocratic airs and airheaded-ness. This is a tale of mistaken identity (a fairy mother who looks to 17-year-old mortal and thus "cannot possibly" by the birther of 25-year-old Strephon) and of true-love shining through...in the end. I enjoyed the last musical number tremendously, harking back to the golden-age of Gilbert and Sullivan success, and I thought it funny in a mild manner.
Though I liked it better than the Gondoliers, it was not as good as its predecessor nor its successor. The music was lively and fun; the lyrics humorous and lilting, yet it did not go far enough with its mockery of British Parliament or of aristocratic airs and airheaded-ness. This is a tale of mistaken identity (a fairy mother who looks to 17-year-old mortal and thus "cannot possibly" by the birther of 25-year-old Strephon) and of true-love shining through...in the end. I enjoyed the last musical number tremendously, harking back to the golden-age of Gilbert and Sullivan success, and I thought it funny in a mild manner.
September 13, 2024
We’re still working our way as a family through all of the Gilbert and Sullivan comedic operas. This wasn’t my favorite, but characteristically funny and as always, it’s hard to decide who was the greater genius, Gilbert or Sullivan. The music for the lords when they sang the hilarious line “Bow, bow, ye lower middle classes…” was so serious and regal.
December 1, 2018
A merry little adventure that will take you only an hour or two to read. Whimsical, with singing, marriage jitters, and elves. If you haven't seen the opera, the audio book is a good substitute.
July 24, 2020
It’s not hard to see why Rehnquist found this so funny...
February 15, 2021
More Gilbert and Sullivan fun, this time between politicians and fairies.
September 29, 2024
Great book, I listened to the audiobook version on YouTube. I will leave the link below so that everyone can enjoy it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saC3A...
September 30, 2025
victorians are so fucking funny
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February 23, 2012This is not the edition I read. I read this operetta as part of a collection. But I did want to deal with this particular play.
I never can remember whether the hero of this story is a fairy from the waist up, or from the waist down. Either way, his immortal part will be bereft of some bodily functions, by and by.
This contains an interesting proposal for how to reform the House of Lords. I wonder...Naah, the Commons would probably never go for it.
I never can remember whether the hero of this story is a fairy from the waist up, or from the waist down. Either way, his immortal part will be bereft of some bodily functions, by and by.
This contains an interesting proposal for how to reform the House of Lords. I wonder...Naah, the Commons would probably never go for it.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews