Interview: Hannah Holmes Dishes on G&S's RUDDIGORE at Gerald W. Lynch Theater

This Saturday and Sunday, the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players (NYGASP) will be reviving Ruddigore, the classic comic opera that has entertained world-wide audiences for 137 years. This strictly limited three-performance engagement will be performed on Saturday, November 23rd (2 pm and 7:30 pm) and Sunday, November 24th (3 pm) at the John Jay College's Gerald W. Lynch Theater.

Ruddigore was the 10th collaboration between Gilbert and Sullivan. It premiered on January 22, 1887 to less critical success than Messer's G & S were used to receiving—as critics and patrons alike felt it paled in comparison to Gilbert & Sullivan's previous success, The Mikado. But that opinion soon changed. One week after its premiere, Gilbert and Sullivan made several changes and cuts to the production, including a new spelling of the title - changing it from Ruddygore to Ruddigore to mitigate the impression of its inappropriateness. The changes were met with praise and critics altered their views to note that "the charm of graceful melody prevails" and lauded that Sullivan had "written some of his freshest and most delightful melodies." Mixed up stock characters from Victorian melodrama (such as a heroic sailor who becomes a cheat and an informant), Sullivan's evocative score (especially his spooky, but not scary, ghost scene), and Gilbert's clever, always relatable, lyrics keep the show's mood light and joyous despite its somber sounding premise.

We spoke with Hannah Holmes, who plays Mad Margaret in this production.

What are you looking forward to about your upcoming performance in Ruddigore with NYGASP?

I'm playing Mad Margaret, and I'm so excited as this has been a "bucket list" role for me since I first performed in Ruddigore a decade ago. There's never a dull moment onstage with Margaret - every ounce of stage time has to be an 11 out of 10 In Focus and energy, combining zaniness with pathos.

I also look forward to acting alongside my fantastic colleagues in this show - they are consummate professionals with glorious voices, and hilarious character actors to boot. 

How did you originally get involved in NYGASP?

I began in the chorus of the new Mikado production in the fall of 2016. I was already an operetta enthusiast, having performed operetta for six summers at the Ohio Light Opera. I've since performed with NYGASP in 9 of the 13 shows Gilbert & Sullivan wrote together - I hope to perform the whole canon!

What draws you to the work of Gilbert and Sullivan?

I'm a classically trained singer with the heart of a clown. I love how these shows combine wonderful music for operatic voices and full orchestra with theatrical comedy of all stripes - wordplay, slapstick, parody. For me, G&S is the perfect synthesis of things I love about music theater. I also love the patter songs!

Do you have a favorite song or moment from Ruddigore?

Speaking of patter songs, one of my favorite moments from the show is the patter trio in Act 2. Patter songs in G&S are often solos for the company "patter baritone", so inviting the mezzo in for a trio is a treat. Broadway fans may recognize that Dick Scanlan parodied this song in Thoroughly Modern Millie in the "Speed Test" number. Performing it in this show is a speed test of its own! And the refrain is a classic example of Gilbert’s self-referential wit  - "this particularly rapid, unintelligible patter isn't generally heard, and if it is, it doesn't matter!"

What's coming up next for you besides this performance?

As a full-time freelance singer, I'm always looking forward to the next gig - I'll hit the ground running in December with numerous holiday performances. One of my favorite holiday gigs is singing with the Yuletide Singers as a professional Christmas caroler. With NYGASP, I'm looking forward to our production of The Pirates of Penzance in January (Ruddigore and Pirates are my two favorite G&S shows - this season is a total treat for me!).

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Keep up with Hannah Holmes' musical exploits on Instagram @hannahmezzo or Hannah's website at www.hannahmezzo.com. 

Find tickets to Ruddigore and learn more about NYGASP on their website. Their season continues with Pirates of Penzance in January and Iolanthe in April.

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