Review: College Light Opera singers handle 'Yeoman of the Guard' soaring notes with ease

Cape Cod Times
Updated ·3 min read
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Editor's note: Due to an editing error, the third photo in this story contained an error. The woman with "The Yeoman of the Guard" is Phoebe, played by Christine Cummins.

College Light Opera Company (CLOC) is winding down its 55th season with “The Yeomen of the Guard,” a nod to those 19th century masters of light opera, W.S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan. Based on a true historical event, this piece has always been termed a tragedy — even though it is not without the puns that season all of the pair’s works.

The duo — and critics at the time — saw this slice-of-life work as a departure from the wise-cracking comedies that preceded it. In a way, that makes the often-soaring musical score an even more noticeable feature. Luckily, CLOC’s principals are equipped with the strong, trained voices needed to reach the musical heights, and the full orchestra is there to back them up.

Caroline Goodwin as Elsie in "Yeoman of the Guard" performed by College Light Opera Company in Falmouth.
Caroline Goodwin as Elsie in "Yeoman of the Guard" performed by College Light Opera Company in Falmouth.

About the production: "The Yeomen of the Guard,” written by W.S. Gilbert, composed by Sir Arthur Sullivan, directed by James Mills, musical direction by Elizabeth Hastings, and presented by College Light Opera Company.

What it's about: It’s sometime in the 16th century, and the dashing Colonel Fairfax (Michael Koutelos) has been accused of sorcery. Sentenced to death, he is a guest in the infamous Tower of London. It’s never clear exactly what he’s done to incur the wrath of the crown, but at one point he quips, “I would gladly have my life, but I have the next best thing: death. It is easier to die well than to live well.”

Still, Fairfax would like to prevent an enemy — who just happens to be his cousin — from inheriting his fortune after the executioner does his job. So, he and the Lieutenant of the Tower Sir Richard (Antonio Esposito) hatch a plot to find him a bride. They find that likely candidate in Elsie (Caroline Goodwin), a traveling singer, who is convinced to take the 100 crowns to play a role in this 16th-century version of a shotgun wedding.

A case of mistaken identities is common to the time

Ben Muckenthaler as jester Jack Point, Michael Koutelos as Colonel Fairfax and Caroline Goodwin as Elsie in "Yeoman of the Guard" performed through Aug. 5 by College Light Opera Company in Falmouth.
Ben Muckenthaler as jester Jack Point, Michael Koutelos as Colonel Fairfax and Caroline Goodwin as Elsie in "Yeoman of the Guard" performed through Aug. 5 by College Light Opera Company in Falmouth.

Meanwhile, subplots abound, with Sergeant Meryll, a Yeoman of the Guard, (Nathan Tilton), his daughter Phoebe (Christine Cummins) and son Leonard (Orlando Montalvo) planning to substitute Leonard for Fairfax, disguising the prisoner as a Yeoman of the Guard. That leads to — you guessed it — a case of mistaken identity. (Mistaken identity regularly finds its way into works by Gilbert and Sullivan, and of course their predecessor, The Bard.)

Highlights of the show: One of the most enjoyable features of a CLOC musical is the full orchestra that provides the musical backdrop. (Is there anything better than the sound of an orchestra tuning up before curtain?)  It’s particularly striking during crowd numbers like “Tower Warders, Under Orders” and “Here’s a Man of Jollity,” when the ensemble’s voices and the musical accompaniment fill the old theater.

Goodwin’s beautiful and often-soaring voice is especially impressive, inspiring applause and cheers from the audience.

Ben Muckenthaler, as strolling jester Jack Point, offers another stand-out performance filled with some complex dance moves and humorous lyrics that roll off his tongue. In numbers like “I’ve Jibe and Joke” and “Oh a Private Buffoon is a Light-hearted Loon” he is a joy to watch.

See 'The Yeoman of the Guard' for its beauty and pageantry

Christine Cummins as Phoebe, center, is surrounded in College Light Opera Company's "The Yeoman of the Guard."
Christine Cummins as Phoebe, center, is surrounded in College Light Opera Company's "The Yeoman of the Guard."

Go or No Go: Go for the multifaceted entertainment of a Gilbert and Sullivan show.

Worth noting: Costumes, designed by Bella Costantino, are a feast of silk and sparkles, glittering under the stage lights.

One more thing: This is the seventh show of the nine CLOC productions planned for this season. Last on the schedule: "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Singing in the Rain"

Interesting fact: It wouldn’t be summer without two or three Gilbert and Sullivan productions in CLOC’s repertoire. The group is the theatrical descendant of the Cape’s original Gilbert and Sullivan Players.

If you go: 7:30 p.m. through Aug. 5, Highfield Theater, 58 Highfield Drive, Falmouth, 508-548-0668 www.collegelightoperacompany.com. Tickets are $40.

Sue Mellen

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Review: At CLOC, Gilbert and Sullivan's 'Yeoman of the Guard' soars