W. S. Gilbert
Sir William Schwenck Gilbert
Born	18 November 1836(1836-11-18), London
Died	29 May 1911 (aged 74), Grim's Dyke
Occupation	Dramatist
Influences Planché; Robertson
Influenced Oscar Wilde; George Bernard Shaw; Oscar Hammerstein

Sir William Schwenck Gilbert^[1] (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his fourteen comic operas produced in collaboration with the composer Sir Arthur Sullivan, of which the most famous include H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and one of the most frequently performed works in the history of musical theatre, The Mikado. Events 326 - The old St Peter's Basilica is consecrated 1302 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull Year 1836 ( MDCCCXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Grim's Dyke is the name of a house and estate located in Harrow, England. Employment is a Contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. A playwright, also known as a dramatist, is a person who writes dramatic literature or Drama. James Robinson Planché (27 February 1796–30 May 1880 was a British Dramatist Antiquary and Officer of arms. Thomas William Robertson ( 9 January 1829 – 3 February 1871) usually known professionally as T Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900 was an Irish Playwright, Novelist, poet and Author of George Bernard Shaw ( (26 July 1856 &ndash 2 November 1950 was an Irish Playwright. Oscar Hammerstein II (ˈhæmɚstaɪn (born Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein) ( July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was Events 326 - The old St Peter's Basilica is consecrated 1302 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull Year 1836 ( MDCCCXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A playwright, also known as a dramatist, is a person who writes dramatic literature or Drama. A libretto is the text used in an extended Musical work such as an Opera, Operetta, Masque, sacred or secular Oratorio and Comic opera, or light opera, denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature usually with a happy ending Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian era partnership of Librettist W A composer (literally meaning 'one who puts together' is a person who creates Music, usually in the medium of notation, for Interpretation and Performance Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan MVO (13 May 1842 &ndash 22 November 1900 was an English composer of Irish and Italian descent best known for his operatic HMS Pinafore, or The Lass that Loved a Sailor, is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by The Pirates of Penzance, or The Slave of Duty is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by W The Mikado, or The Town of Titipu, is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by W ^[2] These, as well as most of their other Savoy operas, continue to be performed regularly throughout the English-speaking world and beyond by opera companies, repertory companies, schools and community theatre groups. Savoy Operas denote a style of Comic opera that developed in Victorian England in the late 19th century with W English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Lines from these works have become part of the English language, such as "short, sharp shock", "What never? Well, hardly ever!",^[3] and "Let the punishment fit the crime". The phrase "Short sharp shock" is a phrase meaning "punishment that is quick and severe ^[4]

Gilbert also wrote the Bab Ballads, an extensive collection of light verse accompanied by his own comical drawings. The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W S Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings His creative output included over 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. Realism in the Visual arts and Literature is the depiction of subjects as they appear in Everyday life, without embellishment or interpretation Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900 was an Irish Playwright, Novelist, poet and Author of George Bernard Shaw ( (26 July 1856 &ndash 2 November 1950 was an Irish Playwright. ^[5] According to The Cambridge History of English and American Literature, Gilbert's "lyrical facility 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. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature. Originally published in 1907 - 1921, the 18 volumes include 303 chapters and more than 11000 pages "^[6]

Contents 1 Early life and career 1.1 Beginnings 1.2 First plays 1.3 The German Reed entertainments and other plays of the early 1870s 1.4 Gilbert as a director 2 The collaboration with Sullivan 2.1 First collaborations amidst other works 2.2 The peak collaborative years 2.3 The Carpet Quarrel and end of the collaboration 3 Later years 4 Personality and legacy 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 Notes 9 External links

Early life and career

Beginnings

"No sooner had the learned judge pronounced this sentence than the poor soul stooped down, and taking off a heavy boot, flung it at my head, as a reward for my eloquence on her behalf; accompanying the assault with a torrent of invective against my abilities as a counsel, and my line of defence. "

- My Maiden Brief. [7] (Gilbert claimed this incident was autobiographical. )[8]

Gilbert was born at 17 Southampton Street, Strand, London. The Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. His father, also named William, was a naval surgeon who later became a writer of novels and short stories, some of which were illustrated by his son. William Gilbert, (20 May 1804&ndash3 January 1890 was a British novelist and Royal Navy Surgeon, and the author of novels biographies histories and Gilbert's mother was the former Ann Mary Bye Morris (1812-88), the daughter of Dr. Thomas Morris. ^[9] Gilbert's parents were distant and stern, and he did not have a particularly close relationship with either of them. Following the break-up of their marriage in 1876, his relationships with them, especially his mother, became even more strained. Gilbert had three younger sisters: Jane Morris, who married Alfred Weigall, a miniature painter; Maude and Florence, neither of whom married. ^[10] Gilbert was nicknamed "Bab" as a baby, and then "Schwenck", after his father's godparents. ^[9]

As a child, Gilbert travelled in Europe with his parents (they finally settled in London in 1849). He was educated at Boulogne, France from the age of seven (he later kept his diary in French so that the servants could not read it),^[11] then Western Grammar School, Brompton, London, and then at the Great Ealing School, where he became head boy and wrote plays for school performances and painted scenery. Boulogne-sur-Mer ( Bonen in Dutch is a City in Northern France. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Brompton is a locality in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. He then attended King's College London, graduating in 1856. King's College London is a British Higher education institution and co-founding constituent college of the federal University of London. He applied for a military commission in the Gordon Highlanders, but, with the unexpected end of the Crimean War, fewer recruits were needed, and only a line commission was available to Gilbert. The Gordon Highlanders was a British Army Infantry Regiment from 1881 until 1994 The Crimean War, also known in Russia as the Eastern War (Восточная война Vostochnaya Vojna) (March 1854–February 1856 was fought He served instead in the Civil Service for four years and hated it. In 1859 he joined the newly formed Volunteer Army, with which he remained until 1878 (in between writing and other work), reaching the rank of Captain. The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle artillery and engineer corps created as a popular movement in 1859 ^[12] In 1863 he received a bequest of £300 that he used to leave the civil service and take up a brief career as a barrister (he had already entered the Inner Temple as a student), but his legal practise was not successful, averaging just five clients a year. The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency A barrister is a Lawyer found in many Common law Jurisdictions that employ a split profession (as opposed to a Fused profession) in relation The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple is one of the four Inns of Court around the Royal Courts of Justice in London which may call members to ^[13]

To supplement his income from 1861 on, Gilbert wrote a variety of stories, comic rants, grotesque illustrations, theatre reviews (many in the form of a parody of the play being reviewed),^[14] and, under the pseudonym "Bab" (his childhood nickname), illustrated poems for several comic magazines, primarily Fun, started in 1861 by H. J. Byron. The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W S Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings Fun was a Victorian weekly Magazine, first published on September 21 1861. Henry James Byron ( 8 January 1835 &ndash 11 April 1884) was a prolific English Dramatist, as well as a writer and actor He published stories, articles, and reviews in papers such as the Cornhill Magazine, London Society, Tinsley's Magazine, and Temple Bar. Cornhill Magazine was a Victorian Magazine and Literary journal named after Cornhill Street in London. In addition, Gilbert was the London correspondent for L'Invalide Russe and a drama critic for the Illustrated London Times. In the 1860s he also contributed to Tom Hood's Christmas annuals, to Saturday Night, the Comic News, and the Savage Club Papers. Tom Hood ( 19 January 1835 - 20 November 1874) was an English Humorist and Playwright, son of the Poet The Observer newspaper in 1870 sent him to France as a war correspondent reporting on the Franco-Prussian War. The Observer is a British Newspaper published on Sundays In about the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War ( 19 July, 1870 — 10 May, 1871 ^[9]

The poems, illustrated humorously by Gilbert, proved immensely popular and were reprinted in book form as the Bab Ballads. The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W S Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings ^[15] He would later return to many of these as source material for his plays and comic operas. Gilbert and his colleagues from Fun, including Tom Robertson, Tom Hood, Clement Scott and F. C. Burnand (who defected to Punch in 1862) frequented the Arundel Club, the Savage Club, and especially Evans's café, where they had a table in competition with the Punch 'Round table'. Thomas William Robertson ( 9 January 1829 – 3 February 1871) usually known professionally as T Tom Hood ( 19 January 1835 - 20 November 1874) was an English Humorist and Playwright, son of the Poet Clement Scott ( 6 October 1841 &ndash1904 was an influential English theatre critic for the Daily Telegraph, and a playwright and travel Sir Francis Cowley Burnand (29 November 1836 &ndash 21 April 1917 often credited as F Punch was a British weekly Magazine of Humour and Satire published from 1841 to 1992 and from 1996 to 2002 The Savage Club, founded in 1857 is a gentlemen's club in London. ^[16]

Gilbert married Lucy Agnes Turner, whom he called "Kitty", in 1867; she was 11 years his junior. He wrote many affectionate letters to her over the years. Gilbert and Lucy were socially active both in London and later at Grim's Dyke, often holding dinner parties and being invited to others' homes for dinner, in contrast to the picture painted by fictionalisations such as the film Topsy-Turvy. Grim's Dyke is the name of a house and estate located in Harrow, England. This article is about the 1999 film For the Sing-Along Songs video see Disney Sing Along Songs. The Gilberts had no children, but they had many pets, including some exotic ones. ^[17]

First plays

Gilbert wrote and directed a number of plays at school, but his first professionally produced play was Uncle Baby, which ran for seven weeks in the autumn of 1863. ^[18] In 1865–66 he collaborated with Charles Millward on several pantomimes, including one called Hush-a-Bye, Baby, On the Tree Top, or, Harlequin Fortunia, King Frog of Frog Island, and the Magic Toys of Lowther Arcade (1866). Pantomime (informally panto) (not to be confused with a Mime artist, referring to a theatrical performer of mime is a performance genre traditionally found ^[19] Gilbert's first solo success, however, came a few days after Hush-a-Bye Baby premiered. His friend Tom Robertson was asked to write a pantomime but did not think he could do it in the two weeks available, and so he recommended Gilbert instead. Written and rushed to the stage in 10 days, Dulcamara, or the Little Duck and the Great Quack, a burlesque of Gaetano Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore, proved extremely popular. Dulcamara or the Little Duck and the Great Quack, is one of the earliest plays written by W Burlesque is a genre of entertainment also known as Travesty. Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (29 November 1797 &ndash 8 April 1848 was an Italian composer from Bergamo, Lombardy. L'elisir d'amore ( The Elixir of Love) is a Melodramma giocoso in two acts by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. This led to a long series of further Gilbert opera burlesques, pantomimes and farces, full of awful puns (traditional in burlesques of the period),^[20] though showing, at times, signs of the satire that would later be a defining part of Gilbert's work. Pantomime (informally panto) (not to be confused with a Mime artist, referring to a theatrical performer of mime is a performance genre traditionally found A farce is a Comedy written for the stage or film which aims to Entertain the audience by means of unlikely extravagant and improbable situations disguise and mistaken A pun (or paronomasia) is a Phrase that deliberately exploits confusion between similar-sounding Words for humorous or Rhetorical Satire is often strictly defined as a literary genre or form; although in practice it is also found in the graphic and Performing arts In satire human ^[6] For instance:

“

That men were monkeys once—to that I bow; (looking at Lord Margate) I know one who's less man than monkey, now; That monkeys once were men, peers, statesmen, flunkies— That's rather hard on unoffending monkeys![20]

”

This was followed by the last of Gilbert's operatic parodies, Robert the Devil, a burlesque of Giacomo Meyerbeer's opera, Robert le diable, which was part of a triple bill that opened the Gaiety Theatre, London in 1868. Robert the Devil or The Nun the Dun and the Son of a Gun is an operatic parody by W Giacomo Meyerbeer ( September 5, 1791 &ndash May 2, 1864) was a noted German -born Opera Composer, and Robert le diable ( Robert the Devil) is an Opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer, often regarded as the first Grand opera. The Gaiety Theatre London was a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, located on Aldwych at the eastern end of the Strand. The piece was Gilbert's biggest success to date, running for over 100 nights and being frequently revived and played continuously in the provinces for three years thereafter. ^[21]

In Victorian theatre, "[to degrade] high and beautiful themes. . . had been the regular proceeding in burlesque, and the age almost expected it. . . . "^[6] However, Gilbert's burlesques were considered unusually tasteful compared to the others on the London stage, and he would depart even further from the burlesque style from about 1869 with plays containing original plots and fewer puns. ^[10]

The German Reed entertainments and other plays of the early 1870s

CHRYSAL: This hound abused me! ZORAM: He insulted me; BOTH: Our honour must be satisfied! (They cross swords. ) GÉLANOR: No, no— Attend to me. Within these crystal walls A strange mysterious influence prevails: All men are bound to speak the plainest truth! And this they do, without suspecting it. (To Zoram. ) When Chrysal spoke the words that angered you He did not mean to speak them. He believed That he was paying you a compliment. (To Chrysal. ) When Zoram said that he considered you A systematic liar, mean, poor, base, Selfish, and sordid, cruel, tyrannical, 'Twas what he thought—not what he would have said! CHRYSAL: I see—if that was only what he thought, It makes a difference. GÉLANOR: What could he say? He was compelled, you know, to speak the truth. CHRYSAL: Of course, I understand. Zoram, your hand! ZORAM: With pleasure. (Shaking hands with Chrysal. )

- The Palace of Truth, 1870

Theatre, at the time Gilbert began writing, had fallen into disrepute. Badly translated and adapted French operettas and poorly written, prurient burlesques dominated the London stage. Operetta is a genre of light Opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter Burlesque is theatrical entertainment of broad and parodic humor which usually consists of comic skits (and sometimes a strip tease) As Jessie Bond vividly described it, "stilted tragedy and vulgar farce were all the would-be playgoer had to choose from, and the theatre had become a place of evil repute to the righteous British householder. Jessie Bond (10 January 1853 – 17 June 1942 was an English singer and actress best known for creating the Mezzo-soprano Soubrette roles in the Gilbert "^[22]

From 1869 to 1875, Gilbert joined with one of the leading figures in theatrical reform, Thomas German Reed (and his wife Priscilla), whose Gallery of Illustration sought to regain some of theatre's lost respectability by offering family entertainments in London. Thomas German Reed ( June 27 1817 &ndash March 21 1888) was an English composer and theatrical manager best known for creating the Priscilla Horton, later Priscilla German Reed ( 2 January 1818 - 18 March 1895) was a popular English singer and Actress German Reed Entertainment was founded in 1855 and operated by Thomas German Reed (1817&ndash1888 together with his wife Priscilla Reed née Horton (1818&ndash1895 ^[22] Three months before the opening of Gilbert's last burlesque (The Pretty Druidess), the first of his pieces for the Gallery of Illustration, No Cards, was produced. No Cards is a "musical piece in one act" for four characters written by W Gilbert created six musical entertainments for the German Reeds, some with music composed by Thomas German Reed himself. German Reed Entertainment was founded in 1855 and operated by Thomas German Reed (1817&ndash1888 together with his wife Priscilla Reed née Horton (1818&ndash1895 ^[23]

The environment of the German Reeds' intimate theatre allowed Gilbert quickly to develop a personal style and freedom to control all aspects of production, including set, costumes, direction and stage management. ^[10] These works were a success,^[24] with Gilbert's first big hit at the Gallery of Illustration, Ages Ago, opening in 1869. Ages Ago is a musical entertaiment with a libretto by W S Gilbert and music by Frederic Clay that premiered on 22 November 1869 Ages Ago was also the beginning of a collaboration with the composer Frederic Clay that would last seven years and produce four works. Frederic Emes Clay (3 August 1838&ndash24 November 1889 was an English composer known principally for his music written for the stage ^[25] It was at a rehearsal for Ages Ago that Clay formally introduced Gilbert to his friend, Arthur Sullivan. Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan MVO (13 May 1842 &ndash 22 November 1900 was an English composer of Irish and Italian descent best known for his operatic ^[25] The Bab Ballads and Gilbert's many early musical works gave him much practice as a lyricist even before his collaboration with Sullivan.

Many of the plot elements of the German Reed Entertainments (as well as some from his earlier plays and Bab Ballads) would be reused by Gilbert later in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. Ages Ago is a musical entertaiment with a libretto by W S Gilbert and music by Frederic Clay that premiered on 22 November 1869 Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian era partnership of Librettist W These elements include paintings coming to life (Ages Ago, used again in Ruddigore), a deaf nursemaid binding a respectable man's son to a "pirate" instead of to a "pilot" by mistake (Our Island Home, 1870, reused in The Pirates of Penzance), and the forceful mature lady who is "an acquired taste" (Eyes and No Eyes, 1875, reused in The Mikado). Ruddigore, or The Witch's Curse, is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W Our Island Home is a one-act musical entertaiment with a libretto by W The Pirates of Penzance, or The Slave of Duty is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by W Eyes and No Eyes or The Art of Seeing is a one-act musical entertainment with a libretto by W The Mikado, or The Town of Titipu, is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by W ^[26] During this time, Gilbert perfected the 'topsy-turvy' style that he had been developing in his Bab Ballads, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. ^[27] Mike Leigh describes the "Gilbertian" style as follows: "With great fluidity and freedom, [Gilbert] continually challenges our natural expectations. Mike Leigh, OBE (born February 20, 1943) is an English film and theatre director screenwriter and playwright First, within the framework of the story, he makes bizarre things happen, and turns the world on its head. Thus the Learned Judge marries the Plaintiff, the soldiers metamorphose into aesthetes, and so on, and nearly every opera is resolved by a deft moving of the goalposts. . . . His genius is to fuse opposites with an imperceptible sleight of hand, to blend the surreal with the real, and the caricature with the natural. In other words, to tell a perfectly outrageous story in a completely deadpan way. "^[28]

At the same time, Gilbert created several 'fairy comedies' at the Haymarket Theatre. Haymarket Theatre (Leicester|Her Majesty's Theatre The Theatre Royal Haymarket or Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre is a West End theatre in This series of plays was founded upon the idea of self-revelation by characters under the influence of some magic or some supernatural interference. ^[29] The first was The Palace of Truth (1870), based on a story by Madame de Genlis. The Palace of Truth is a three-act Blank verse "Fairy Comedy" by W Madame de Genlis, full name Stéphanie Félicité Ducrest de St-Aubin comtesse de Genlis, or Madame Brûlart, ( January 25, 1746 - December In 1871, with Pygmalion and Galatea, one of seven plays that he produced that year, Gilbert scored his greatest hit to date. Pygmalion and Galatea an Original Mythological Comedy is a Blank verse play by W Together, these plays and their successors such as The Wicked World (1873), Sweethearts (1874), and Broken Hearts (1875), did for Gilbert on the dramatic stage what the German Reed entertainments had done for him on the musical stage: they established that his capabilities extended far beyond burlesque, won him artistic credentials, and demonstrated that he was a writer of wide range, as comfortable with human drama as with farcical humour. The Wicked World is a Blank verse play by W S Gilbert in three acts For the Victor Herbert musical of the same name see Sweethearts (musical Sweethearts is a comic play billed as a "dramatic Broken Hearts is a Blank verse play by W S Gilbert in three acts styled "An entirely original fairy play" The success of these plays, especially Pygmalion and Galatea, gave Gilbert a prestige that would be crucial to his later collaboration with as respected a musician as Sullivan. ^[30]

Though dated, these works demonstrate Gilbert's desire to give respectable and well-educated theatre audiences comedies that were more refined and tasteful than the usual farces and burlesques playing in London. ^[10] On the other hand, during the same period, Gilbert pushed the boundaries of how far satire could go in the theatre. He collaborated with Gilbert Arthur à Beckett on The Happy Land (1873), a political satire (in part, a parody of his own The Wicked World), which was briefly banned because of its unflattering caricatures of Gladstone and his ministers. Gilbert Arthur à Beckett (1837 &ndash October 15, 1891) was an English writer The Happy Land is a play with music written in 1873 by W S Gilbert (under the Pseudonym F ^[10] Similarly, The Realm of Joy (1873) was set in the lobby of a theatre performing a scandalous play (implied to be the Happy Land), with many jokes at the expense of the Lord Chamberlain (the "Lord High Disinfectant", as he's referred to in the play),^[31] In Charity (1874), however, Gilbert uses the freedom of the stage in a different way: to provide a tightly-written critique of the contrasting ways in which Victorian society treated men and women who had sex outside of marriage, which anticipated the 'problem plays' of Shaw and Ibsen. The Realm of Joy is a one-act farce by W S Gilbert, writing under the pseudonym "F The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom, and is to be distinguished Charity is a drama in four acts by W S Gilbert that opened on January 3 1874 at the Haymarket Theatre in London where Gilbert had George Bernard Shaw ( (26 July 1856 &ndash 2 November 1950 was an Irish Playwright. "Ibsen" redirects here For other people named Ibsen see Ibsen (disambiguation. ^[32]

Gilbert as a director

"It is absolutely essential to the success of this piece that it should be played with the most perfect earnestness and gravity throughout. There should be no exaggeration in costume, make­up or demeanour; and the characters, one and all, should appear to believe, throughout, in the perfect sincerity of their words and actions. Directly the actors show that they are conscious of the absurdity of their utterances the piece begins to drag. "

- Preface to Engaged

Gilbert was the stage director for his plays and operas and had strong opinions on how they should best be performed. Engaged is a three-act farcical comedy by W S Gilbert. It premiered at the Haymarket Theatre on October 3 1877, the Gilbert was strongly influenced by the innovations in 'stagecraft', now called stage direction, by the playwrights James Planché and especially Tom Robertson. James Robinson Planché (27 February 1796–30 May 1880 was a British Dramatist Antiquary and Officer of arms. Thomas William Robertson ( 9 January 1829 – 3 February 1871) usually known professionally as T ^[22] Gilbert attended rehearsals directed by Robertson to learn this art firsthand from the older director, and he began to apply it in some of his earliest plays. ^[10] He sought realism in acting, if not in content of his plays (although he did write a romantic comedy in the "naturalist" style, as a tribute to Robertson, Sweethearts), shunned self-conscious interaction with the audience, and insisted on a standard of characterisation where the characters were never aware of their own absurdity, but were coherent internal wholes. For the Victor Herbert musical of the same name see Sweethearts (musical Sweethearts is a comic play billed as a "dramatic ^[33] In Gilbert's 1874 burlesque, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, the character Hamlet, in his speech to the players, sums up Gilbert's theory of comic acting: "I hold that there is no such antick fellow as your bombastical hero who doth so earnestly spout forth his folly as to make his hearers believe that he is unconscious of all incongruity". Rosencrantz and Guildenstern A Tragic Episode in Three Tabloids is a short comic play by W With his work along these lines, Gilbert set the ground for later playwrights such as George Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde to be able to flourish on the English stage. George Bernard Shaw ( (26 July 1856 &ndash 2 November 1950 was an Irish Playwright. Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900 was an Irish Playwright, Novelist, poet and Author of ^[10]

Robertson "introduced Gilbert both to the revolutionary notion of disciplined rehearsals and to mise-en-scène or unity of style in the whole presentation - direction, design, music, acting. "^[28] Like Robertson, Gilbert demanded discipline in his actors. He insisted that his actors know their words perfectly and obey his stage directions, which was something quite new to many actors of the day. ^[34] "That Gilbert was a good director is not in doubt. He was able to extract from his actors natural, clear performances, which served the Gilbertian requirements of outrageousness delivered straight. "^[35] Gilbert prepared meticulously for each new work, making models of the stage, actors and set pieces, and designing every action and bit of business in advance. ^[36] Gilbert would not work with actors who challenged his authority. ^[37] In addition, "Mr. Gilbert is a perfect autocrat, insisting that his words should be delivered, even to an inflection of the voice, as he dictates. He will stand on the stage beside the actor or actress, and repeat the words with appropriate action over and over again, until they are delivered as he desires them to be. "^[38] Even during long runs and revivals, Gilbert closely supervised the performances of his plays, making sure that the actors did not make unauthorised additions, deletions or paraphrases. ^[39] Gilbert was famous for demonstrating the action himself, even as he grew older. ^[40] Gilbert himself went on stage in a number of productions throughout his lifetime, including several performances as the Associate in Trial by Jury, as substitute for an ailing actor in his play Broken Hearts, and in charity matinees of his one-act plays, such as King Claudius in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. This article is about the comic opera For the legal institution see Jury trial. Broken Hearts is a Blank verse play by W S Gilbert in three acts styled "An entirely original fairy play" ^[41]

The collaboration with Sullivan

First collaborations amidst other works

In 1871, John Hollingshead commissioned Gilbert to work with Sullivan on a holiday piece for Christmas, Thespis, or The Gods Grown Old, at the Gaiety Theatre. Thespis, or The Gods Grown Old, is an Operatic Extravaganza that was the first collaboration between dramatist W The Gaiety Theatre London was a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, located on Aldwych at the eastern end of the Strand. Thespis outran five of its nine competitors for the 1871 holiday season and was later revived for a benefit performance. However, nothing more came of it at that point, and Gilbert and Sullivan went their separate ways. Gilbert worked again with Clay on Happy Arcadia (1872), and with Alfred Cellier on Topsyturveydom (1874), as well as writing several farces, operetta libretti, extravaganzas, fairy comedies, adaptations from novels, translations from the French, and the dramas described above. Happy Arcadia is a musical entertaiment with a libretto by W S Alfred Cellier (1 December 1844&ndash28 December 1891 was an English composer orchestrator and conductor Background 1874 was a busy year for both Gilbert and Cellier Gilbert illustrated The Piccadilly Annual; supervised a revival of Pygmalion and Galatea Extravaganza refers to a literary or musical work (often Musical theatre) characterized by freedom of style and structure and usually containing elements of burlesque Also in 1874, he published his last contribution for Fun magazine ("Rosencrantz and Guildenstern"), after a gap of three years, then resigned due to disapproval of the new owner's other publishing interests. ^[42]

It would be nearly four years after Thespis was produced before the two men worked together again. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE-ROMEOS*************** In 1868, Gilbert had published a short comedic sketch libretto in Fun magazine entitled "Trial by Jury: An Operetta". In 1873, Gilbert arranged with the theatrical manager and composer, Carl Rosa, to expand the piece into a one-act libretto. Rosa's wife was to sing the role of the plaintiff. However, Rosa's wife died in childbirth in 1874. Later in 1874 Gilbert offered the libretto to Richard D'Oyly Carte, but Carte could not use the piece at that time. Richard D'Oyly Carte (3 May 1844 &ndash 3 April 1901 was an English talent agent theatrical Impresario and hotelier during the latter half of the Victorian By early 1875, Carte was managing the Royalty Theatre, and he needed a short opera to be played as an afterpiece to Offenbach's La Périchole. The Royalty Theatre was a small London theatre situated at 73 Dean Street, Soho and opened on May 25 1840 as Miss Kelly's Theatre Jacques Offenbach (born Jacob Offenbach 20 June 1819 in Cologne &ndash 5 October 1880 in Paris) was a German La Périchole is an Opéra bouffe in three acts by Jacques Offenbach. He contacted Gilbert, asked about the piece, and suggested Sullivan to set the work. Sullivan was enthusiastic, and Trial by Jury was composed in a matter of weeks. This article is about the comic opera For the legal institution see Jury trial. The little piece was a runaway hit, outlasting the run of La Périchole and being revived at another theatre. ^[43]

Gilbert continued his quest to gain respect in and respectability for his profession. One thing that may have been holding dramatists back from respectability was that plays were not published in a form suitable for a "gentleman's library", as, at the time, they were generally cheaply and unattractively published for the use of actors rather than the home reader. To help rectify this, at least for himself, Gilbert arranged in late 1875 for publishers Chatto and Windus to print a volume of his plays in a format designed to appeal to the general reader, with an attractive binding and clear type, containing Gilbert's most respectable plays, including his most serious works, but mischievously capped off with Trial by Jury. ^[10]

After the success of Trial by Jury, there were discussions towards reviving Thespis, but Gilbert and Sullivan were not able to agree on terms with Carte and his backers. The score to Thespis was never published, and most of the music is now lost. It took some time for Carte to gather funds for another Gilbert and Sullivan opera, and in this gap Gilbert produced several works including Tom Cobb (1875), Eyes and No Eyes (1875, his last German Reed Entertainment), and Princess Toto (1876), his last and most ambitious work with Clay, a three-act comic opera with full orchestra, as opposed to the shorter works for much reduced accompaniment that came before. Tom Cobb or Fortune's Toy is a farce in three-acts (styled "An Entirely Original Farcical Comedy" by W Eyes and No Eyes or The Art of Seeing is a one-act musical entertainment with a libretto by W Frederic clayjpg|right|frame| Frederic Clay]] Princess Toto' is a three-act comic opera by W Gilbert also wrote two serious works during this time, Broken Hearts (1875) and Dan'l Druce, Blacksmith (1876). Broken Hearts is a Blank verse play by W S Gilbert in three acts styled "An entirely original fairy play" Dan'l Druce Blacksmith is a play by W S Gilbert, styled "A Three-Act Drama of Puritan times" ^[23]

Also during this period, Gilbert wrote his most successful comic play, Engaged (1877), which inspired Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. Engaged is a three-act farcical comedy by W S Gilbert. It premiered at the Haymarket Theatre on October 3 1877, the Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900 was an Irish Playwright, Novelist, poet and Author of The Importance of Being Earnest is a play by Oscar Wilde. It premiered on February 14, 1895 at the St Engaged is a parody of romantic drama written in the "topsy-turvy" satiric style of many of Gilbert's Bab Ballads and the Savoy Operas, with one character pledging his love, in the most poetic and romantic language possible, to every single woman in the play; the "innocent" Scottish rustics being revealed to be making a living through throwing trains off the lines and then charging the passengers for services, and, in general, romance being gladly thrown over in favour of monetary gain. Savoy Operas denote a style of Comic opera that developed in Victorian England in the late 19th century with W Engaged continues to be performed today by both professional and amateur companies. ^[44]

The peak collaborative years

Main article: Gilbert and Sullivan

Carte finally assembled a syndicate in 1877 and formed the Comedy Opera Company to launch a series of original English comic operas, beginning with a third collaboration between Gilbert and Sullivan, The Sorcerer, in November 1877. Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian era partnership of Librettist W Thespis, or The Gods Grown Old, is an Operatic Extravaganza that was the first collaboration between dramatist W Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian era partnership of Librettist W For other uses see Sorcerer. Sorctrialjpg|right|thumb|300px|1878 programme cover]] The Sorcerer is a two-act Comic opera This work was a modest success,^[10] and H.M.S. Pinafore followed in May 1878. HMS Pinafore, or The Lass that Loved a Sailor, is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by Despite a slow start, mainly due to a scorching summer, Pinafore became a red-hot favourite by autumn. After a dispute with Carte over the division of profits, the other Comedy Opera Company partners hired thugs to storm the theatre one night to steal the sets and costumes, intending to mount a rival production. The attempt was repelled by stagehands and others at the theatre loyal to Carte, and Carte continued as sole impresario of the newly renamed D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. D'Oyly Carte Opera Company staged performances of Gilbert and Sullivan 's Savoy Operas in the UK Europe North America South Africa Australia and elsewhere from the ^[45] Indeed, Pinafore was so successful that over a hundred unauthorised productions sprang up in America alone. Gilbert, Sullivan and Carte tried for many years to control the American performance copyrights over their operas, without success. ^[46]

For the next decade, the Savoy Operas (as the series came to be known, after the theatre Carte later built to house them) were Gilbert's principal activity. Savoy Operas denote a style of Comic opera that developed in Victorian England in the late 19th century with W The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre located in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London England The successful comic operas with Sullivan continued to appear every year or two, several of them being among the longest-running productions up to that point in the history of the musical stage. ^[47] After Pinafore came The Pirates of Penzance (1879), Patience (1881), Iolanthe (1882), Princess Ida (1884, based on Gilbert's earlier farce, The Princess), The Mikado (1885), Ruddigore (1887), The Yeomen of the Guard (1888), and The Gondoliers (1889). The Pirates of Penzance, or The Slave of Duty is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by W Patience, or Bunthorne's Bride, is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W Iolanthe, or The Peer and the Peri, is a Comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W Princess Ida, or Castle Adamant, is a Comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by W The Princess is a Blank verse farcical play in five scenes with music by W The Mikado, or The Town of Titipu, is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by W Ruddigore, or The Witch's Curse, is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W The Yeomen of the Guard, or The Merryman and his Maid, is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W The Gondoliers, or The King of Barataria, is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W Gilbert not only directed and oversaw all aspects of production for these works, but he actually designed the costumes himself for Patience, Iolanthe, Princess Ida, and Ruddigore. ^[48]

During this time, Gilbert and Sullivan also collaborated on one other major work, the oratorio The Martyr of Antioch, premiered at the Leeds music festival in October 1880. The Mikado, or The Town of Titipu, is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by W The Martyr of Antioch is an Oratorio (originally described as "A Sacred Musical Drama" by the English Composer, Arthur Sullivan. Gilbert arranged the original epic poem by Henry Hart Milman into a libretto suitable for the music, and it contains some original work. The Very Reverend Henry Hart Milman ( February 10 or November 10, 1791 - September 24, 1868) was an English Historian During this period, Gilbert occasionally wrote plays to be performed elsewhere – both serious dramas (for example The Ne'er-Do-Weel, 1878) and humorous works (for example Foggerty's Fairy, 1881). However, he no longer needed to turn out multiple plays each year, as he had done before. Indeed, during the more than nine years that separated The Pirates of Penzance and The Gondoliers, he wrote just three plays outside of the partnership with Sullivan. ^[23] Only one of these works, Comedy and Tragedy, proved successful. ^[49]

In 1878, Gilbert realized a life-long dream to play Harlequin, which he did at the Gaiety Theatre as part of an amateur charity production of The Forty Thieves, partly written by himself. The Forty Thieves is a " Pantomime Burlesque " written by Robert Reece, W Producer John Hollingshead later remembered, ". John Hollingshead ( 9 September 1827 – 9 October 1904) was an English theatrical Impresario, journalist and writer during . . the gem of the performance was the grimly earnest and determined Harlequin of W. S. Gilbert. It gave me an idea of what Oliver Cromwell would have made of the character. Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 Old Style &ndash 3 September 1658 Old Style) was an English military and political leader best known "^[50] Another member of the cast recalled that Gilbert was tirelessly enthusiastic about the piece and often invited the cast to his home for dinner extra rehearsals. "A pleasanter, more genial, or agreeable companion than he was it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to find. "^[51] In 1882, Gilbert had a telephone installed in his home and at the prompt desk at the Savoy Theatre, so that he could monitor performances and rehearsals from his home study. Gilbert had referred to the new technology in Pinafore in 1878, only two years after the device was invented and before London even had telephone service. ^[52]

The Carpet Quarrel and end of the collaboration

Gilbert sometimes had a strained working relationship with Sullivan, partly caused by the fact that each man saw himself allowing his work to be subjugated to the other's, and partly caused by the opposing personalities of the two—Gilbert was often confrontational and notoriously thin-skinned (though prone to acts of extraordinary kindness), while Sullivan eschewed conflict. In addition, Gilbert imbued his libretti with "topsy-turvy" situations in which the social order was turned upside down. After a time, these subjects were often at odds with Sullivan's desire for realism and emotional content. ^[53] In addition, Gilbert's political satire often poked fun at those in the circles of privilege, while Sullivan was eager to socialize among the wealthy and titled people who would become his friends and patrons. ^[54]

Throughout their collaboration, Gilbert and Sullivan quarrelled several times over the choice of a subject. After both Princess Ida and Ruddigore, which were less successful than the seven other operas from H. M. S. Pinafore through The Gondoliers, Sullivan asked to leave the partnership, saying that he found Gilbert's plots repetitive and that the operas were not artistically satisfying to him. While the two artists worked out their differences, Carte kept the Savoy open with revivals of their earlier works. On each occasion, after a few months' pause, Gilbert responded with a libretto that met Sullivan's objections, and the partnership was able to continue successfully. ^[55]

During the run of The Gondoliers, however, Gilbert challenged Carte over the expenses of the production. Carte had charged the cost of a new carpet for the Savoy Theatre lobby to the partnership. Gilbert believed that this was a maintenance expense that should be charged to Carte alone. As scholar Andrew Crowther has explained:

After all, the carpet was only one of a number of disputed items, and the real issue lay not in the mere money value of these things, but in whether Carte could be trusted with the financial affairs of Gilbert and Sullivan. Gilbert contended that Carte had at best made a series of serious blunders in the accounts, and at worst deliberately attempted to swindle the others. It is not easy to settle the rights and wrongs of the issue at this distance, but it does seem fairly clear that there was something very wrong with the accounts at this time. Gilbert wrote to Sullivan on 28 May 1891, a year after the end of the "Quarrel", that Carte had admitted "an unintentional overcharge of nearly £1,000 in the electric lighting accounts alone. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1891 ( MDCCCXCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common "^[56]

Sullivan sided with Carte, who was building a theatre in London for the production of new English grand operas, with Sullivan's Ivanhoe as the inaugural work. Ivanhoe is a romantic Opera in three acts based on the novel by Sir Walter Scott, with Music by Sir Arthur Sullivan and While the protracted quarrel worked itself out in the courts and in public, Gilbert wrote The Mountebanks with Alfred Cellier and the flop Haste to the Wedding with George Grossmith. The Mountebanks is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Alfred Cellier and a libretto by W Alfred Cellier (1 December 1844&ndash28 December 1891 was an English composer orchestrator and conductor Haste to the Wedding is a three-act Comic opera with a libretto by W George Grossmith (9 December 1847 &ndash 1 March 1912 was an English Comedian, Writer, Composer, Actor, and singer ^[23]

In 1891, after many failed attempts at reconciliation by the pair, Tom Chappell, the music publisher responsible for printing the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, stepped in to mediate between two of his most profitable artists, and within two weeks had succeeded. Rutland Barrington as Paramountjpg|right|frame|Barrington as King Paramount]] Utopia Limited, or The Flowers of Progress, is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur William Chappell ( 20 November 1809 - 20 August 1888) was an English Writer on Music, a partner in the London ^[57] Two more operas resulted: Utopia, Limited (1893) and The Grand Duke (1896). Rutland Barrington as Paramountjpg|right|frame|Barrington as King Paramount]] Utopia Limited, or The Flowers of Progress, is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur The Grand Duke, or The Statutory Duel, was the final Savoy Opera written by Librettist W Gilbert also offered a third libretto to Sullivan (His Excellency, 1894), but Gilbert's insistence on casting Nancy McIntosh, his protégée from Utopia, led to Sullivan's refusal. His Excellency is a two-act Comic opera with a libretto by W S NancyMc as Princess Zarajpg|right|frame|with Charles Kenningham in Utopia Limited ]] Nancy McIntosh (1874 &ndash February 20, 1954 ^[58] Utopia, concerning an attempt to "anglicise" a south Pacific island kingdom, was only a modest success, and The Grand Duke, in which a theatrical troupe, by means of a "statutory duel" and a conspiracy, takes political control of a grand duchy, was an outright failure. After that, the partnership ended for good. ^[59] Sullivan continued to compose comic opera with other librettists but died four years later. In 1904, Gilbert would write, ". . . Savoy opera was snuffed out by the deplorable death of my distinguished collaborator, Sir Arthur Sullivan. When that event occurred, I saw no one with whom I felt that I could work with satisfaction and success, and so I discontinued to write libretti. "^[60]

Later years

Gilbert built the Garrick Theatre in 1889. The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster. ^[61] He and Lady Gilbert moved to Grim's Dyke in Harrow in 1890, which he purchased from Robert Heriot, to whom the artist Frederick Goodall had sold the property in 1880. Grim's Dyke is the name of a house and estate located in Harrow, England. Harrow is a town in the London Borough of Harrow, North West London. Frederick Goodall ( March 17 1822 &ndash July 29 1904) was an English artist ^[62] In 1891, Gilbert was appointed Justice of the Peace for Middlesex. A Justice of the Peace ( JP) is a Puisne Judicial officer appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace Middlesex is one of the 39 historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. ^[63] After casting Nancy McIntosh in Utopia, Limited, he and Lady Gilbert developed an affection for her, and she eventually gained the status of an unofficially adopted daughter, moving to Grim's Dyke to live with them. She continued living there, even after Gilbert's death, until Lady Gilbert's death in 1936. ^[64] A statue of Charles II was carved by Danish sculptor Caius Gabriel Cibber in 1681 and placed at the center of Soho Square. Charles II (Charles Stuart 29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685 was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Caius Gabriel Cibber (1630-1700 was a Danish sculptor, who enjoyed great success in England and was the father of the actor and author Colley Cibber. Soho Square is a square in Soho, London, England, with a park and garden area at its centre that dates back to 1681. By the early 19th century, the statue was described as being 'in a most wretched mutilated state; and the inscriptions on the base of the pedestal quite illegible'. ^[65] In 1875, it was removed during alterations in the square and given for safekeeping to Frederick Goodall, with the intention that it might be restored. ^[65] Goodall placed the statue on an island in his lake at Grim's Dyke, where it remained when Gilbert purchased the property. In her will, Lady Gilbert directed that the statue be returned, and it was restored to Soho Square in 1938. ^[66]

Although Gilbert announced a retirement from the theatre after the poor initial run of his last work with Sullivan, The Grand Duke (1896) and the poor reception of his 1897 play The Fortune-Hunter, he produced at least three more plays over the last dozen years of his life, including an unsuccessful opera, Fallen Fairies (1909), with Edward German. The Grand Duke, or The Statutory Duel, was the final Savoy Opera written by Librettist W Fallen Fairies; or The Wicked World, is a two-act Comic opera, with a Libretto by W Sir Edward German ( 17 February 1862 &ndash 11 November 1936) was an English musician and composer of Welsh descent best remembered ^[67] Gilbert also continued to supervise the various revivals of his works by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. ^[68] His last play, The Hooligan, produced just four months before his death, is a study of a young condemned thug in a prison cell. The Hooligan A Character Study is a one-act play by W S Gilbert. The piece was so grim and powerful that, according to Mrs. Alec Tweedie, "women [in the audience] had gone out fainting". The Hooligan was one of Gilbert's most successful serious dramas, and experts conclude that, in those last months of Gilbert's life, he was developing a new style, a "mixture of irony, of social theme, and of grubby realism,"^[69] to replace the old "Gilbertianism" that he had grown weary of. ^[70]

Gilbert was knighted on July 15, 1907 in recognition of his contributions to drama. The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year ^[71] Sullivan had been knighted for his contributions to music almost a quarter of a century earlier, in 1883. Gilbert was, however, the first British writer ever to receive a knighthood for his plays alone—earlier dramatist knights, such as Sir William Davenant and Sir John Vanbrugh, were knighted for political and other services. Sir William Davenant (baptised 3 March, 1606 &ndash April 7, 1668) also spelled D'Avenant, was an English Poet Sir John Vanbrugh (pronounced "Van'-bru" (24 January 1664? – 26 March 1726 was an English Architect and Dramatist, perhaps best known ^[72]

On 29 May 1911, Gilbert was giving swimming lessons to two young ladies in the lake of his home Grim's Dyke when one of them lost her footing and called for help. The Victoria Embankment, is part of the Thames Embankment, a road and walkway along the north bank of the River Thames in London. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Grim's Ditch or Grim's Dyke is an area of Countryside in the London Borough of Harrow, close to the Hertfordshire borderline Gilbert dived in to save her, but suffered a heart attack in the middle of the lake and drowned. ^[10] His ashes were buried at the Church of St. John the Evangelist, Stanmore. Stanmore is a place in the London Borough of Harrow, England It is a suburban development situated 11 miles (18 km north west of Charing Cross. The inscription on Gilbert's memorial on the south wall of the Thames Embankment in London reads: "His Foe was Folly, and his Weapon Wit. The Thames Embankment is a major feat of 19th century Civil engineering in central London. "^[28]

Personality and legacy

For more details on this topic, see Cultural influence of Gilbert and Sullivan. In the past 125 years Gilbert and Sullivan have pervasively influenced Popular culture in the English-speaking world.

Jessie Bond wrote that Gilbert "was quick-tempered, often unreasonable, and he could not bear to be thwarted, but how anyone could call him unamiable I cannot understand. "^[73] Aside from his occasional creative disagreements with, and eventual rift from, Sullivan, Gilbert's temper led to the loss of friendships with a number of people. For instance, he quarrelled with his old associate C. H. Workman over the firing of Nancy McIntosh from the production of Fallen Fairies. Charles H Workman ( May 5 1873 &ndash May 1 1923) was a singer and actor best known as a successor to George Grossmith in the comic He also saw his friendship with theatre critic Clement Scott turn bitter. Clement Scott ( 6 October 1841 &ndash1904 was an influential English theatre critic for the Daily Telegraph, and a playwright and travel However, Gilbert could be extraordinarily kind. During Scott's final illness in 1904, for instance, Gilbert donated to a fund for him, visited nearly every day, and assisted Scott's wife,^[74] despite having not been on friendly terms with him for the previous sixteen years. ^[75] Similarly, Gilbert had written several plays at the behest of comic actor Ned Sothern. Edward Askew Sothern ( 1 April 1826 &ndash 21 January 1881) English Actor known for his comic roles particularly However, Sothern died before he could perform the last of these, Foggerty’s Fairy. Gilbert purchased the play back from his grateful widow. ^[76]

As the writings about Gilbert by husband and wife Seymour Hicks and Ellaline Terriss (frequent guests at his home) vividly illustrate, Gilbert's relationships with women were generally more successful than his relationships with men. Seymour Hicks ( 30 January 1871 &ndash 6 April 1949) was a British actor Music hall performer playwright screenwriter Circus girl1jpg|right|thumb|220px|Terriss as Dora in The Circus Girl ]] Ellaline Terriss, born Ellaline Lewin ( April 13 1872 &ndash ^[77] Also, according to George Grossmith, Gilbert loved children:

“

During my dangerous illness, Mr. George Grossmith (9 December 1847 &ndash 1 March 1912 was an English Comedian, Writer, Composer, Actor, and singer Gilbert never failed a day to come up and enquire after me. . . and kept me in roars of laughter the whole time. . . . But to see Gilbert at his best, is to see him at one of his juvenile parties. Though he has no children of his own, he loves them, and there is nothing he would not do to please them. I was never so astonished as when on one occasion he put off some of his own friends to come with Mrs. Gilbert to a juvenile party at my own house. [78]

”

Gilbert's legacy, aside from building the Garrick Theatre and writing the Savoy Operas and other works that are still being performed or in print over a hundred and twenty-five years after their creation, is felt perhaps most strongly today through his influence on the American and British musical theatre. The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster. Musical theatre is a form of Theatre combining Music, Songs spoken Dialogue and Dance. The innovations in content and form of the works that he and Sullivan developed, and in Gilbert's theories of acting and stage direction, directly influenced the development of the modern musical throughout the 20th century. ^{[79] [80]} Gilbert's lyrics employ punning, as well as complex internal and two and three-syllable rhyme schemes, and served as a model for such 20th century Broadway lyricists as P.G. Wodehouse,^[81] Cole Porter,^[82] Ira Gershwin,^[83] and Lorenz Hart. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE (15 October 1881 – 14 February 1975 (ˈwʊdhaʊs was an English Comic novelist who enjoyed enormous popular success Cole Albert Porter (June 9 1891 &ndash October 15 1964 was an American Composer and songwriter from Peru, Indiana. Ira Gershwin ( 6 December 1896 &ndash 17 August 1983) was an American Lyricist who collaborated with his younger Lorenz "Larry" Hart ( May 2, 1895 &ndash November 22, 1943) was the lyricist half of the famed Broadway songwriting team ^[79]

Gilbert's influence on the English language has also been marked, with well-known phrases such as "A policeman's lot is not a happy one", "short, sharp shock", "What never? Well, hardly ever!", and "let the punishment fit the crime" arising from his pen. The phrase "Short sharp shock" is a phrase meaning "punishment that is quick and severe ^[4] In addition, biographies continue to be written about Gilbert's life and work,^[84] and his work is not only performed, but frequently parodied, pastiched, quoted and imitated in comedy routines, film, television and other popular media. A parody (ˈpɛɹədiː US, [ˈpaɹədiː] UK) in contemporary usage is a work created to mock comment on or poke fun at an original work its subject ^[79][85]

See also

• Arthur Sullivan
• Bibliography of W.S. Gilbert
• Cultural influence of Gilbert and Sullivan
• Gilbert and Sullivan
• List of W. S. Gilbert dramatic works

References

• Ainger, Michael (2002). Punch was a British weekly Magazine of Humour and Satire published from 1841 to 1992 and from 1996 to 2002 Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan MVO (13 May 1842 &ndash 22 November 1900 was an English composer of Irish and Italian descent best known for his operatic This is a selected list of W S Gilbert 's works including all that have their own Wikipedia articles In the past 125 years Gilbert and Sullivan have pervasively influenced Popular culture in the English-speaking world. Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian era partnership of Librettist W The following is a list of dramatic works by the Dramatist and author W Gilbert and Sullivan – A Dual Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195147693.  
• Bond, Jessie (1930). The Life and Reminiscences of Jessie Bond, the Old Savoyard (as told to Ethel MacGeorge). London: John Lane, The Bodley Head.  
• Bradley, Ian C (2005). Ian Campbell Bradley (born 28 May 1950) is a British Academic, Author, Theologian, Church of Scotland Oh Joy! Oh Rapture! The Enduring Phenomenon of Gilbert and Sullivan. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195167007.  
• Cox-Ife, William (1978). W. S. Gilbert: Stage Director. Dobson. ISBN 0-234-77206-9.  
• Crowther, Andrew (2000). Contradiction Contradicted – The Plays of W. S. Gilbert. Associated University Presses. ISBN 0-8386-3839-2.  
• Gilbert, W. S. (1908). The Bab Ballads, with which are included Songs of a Savoyard (6th edition). London: MacMillan and Co. , Limited.   (A collection of material from several books published previously. )
• Gilbert, W. S. (1890). Foggerty's Fairy and Other Tales. Foggerty's Fairy and Other Tales is an 1890 book by W S Gilbert, collecting several of the short stories and essays he wrote in his early career as a London: George Routledge and Sons.  
• Gilbert, W. S. (1985). in Peter Haining, ed. : The Lost Stories of W. S. Gilbert. London(?): Robson Books. ISBN (US) 0-88186-735-X / (Britain) 0-86051-337-8.   (Contains mostly stories from Foggerty's Fairy and Other Tales. )
• Gilbert, W. S. (1875). Original Plays: First Series. London: Chatto and Windus.  
• Gilbert, W. S. (1908). Original Plays: Second Series. London: Chatto and Windus.   This book is available online here.
• Gilbert, W. S. , The Realm of Joy, ed. Terence Rees, 1969, self-published, Nightingale Square, London. ISBN 0-9500108-1-2
• Jacobs, Arthur (1992). Arthur Sullivan – A Victorian Musician, Second Edition, Portland, OR: Amadeus Press.  
• Stedman, Jane W. (1996). W. S. Gilbert, A Classic Victorian & His Theatre. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-816174-3.  
• Stedman, Jane W. (2000). W. S. Gilbert's Theatrical Criticism. London: The Society for Theatre Research. ISBN 0-85430-068-6.  
• Scott, Mrs. Clement (c1910). Old Days in Bohemian London. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company.   p. 71–72.
• Wolfson, John (c1976). Final Curtain: The Last Gilbert and Sullivan Operas. London: Chappell & Company Ltd. . ISBN 0-903443-12-0.  

Further reading

• Benford, Harry (1999). The Gilbert & Sullivan Lexicon, 3rd Revised Edition. Ann Arbor, Michigan: The Queensbury Press. ISBN 0-9667916-1-4.  
• Browne, Edith A. (1907). W. S. Gilbert. London: John Lane company.   The book is available online here.
• Bradley, Ian (1996). Ian Campbell Bradley (born 28 May 1950) is a British Academic, Author, Theologian, Church of Scotland The Complete Annotated Gilbert and Sullivan. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. ISBN 019816503X.  
• Gilbert, W. S. (1969). in Edited and with an Introduction by Jane W. Stedman. : Gilbert Before Sullivan – Six Comic Plays by W. S. Gilbert. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.  
• Hayter, Charles (1987). Gilbert and Sullivan. Basingstoke: Macmillan.   (Macmillan Modern Dramatists series)
• McIntosh, Nancy. "The Late Sir W. S. Gilbert's Pets" in the W. S. Gilbert Society Journal, Brian Jones, ed. Vol. 2 No. 18: Winter 2005 (reprinted from Country Life, 3 June 1911), pp. 548-56
• Sutton, Max Keith (1975). W. S. Gilbert. Boston: Twayne.  

Notes

External links

• The Life of W. S. Gilbert, by Andrew Crowther
• Mike Leigh November 4, 2006 interview in The Guardian
• Interview of Gilbert by Harry How
• The W. S. Gilbert Society website
• Views on Gilbert by Seymour Hicks and Ellaline Terriss
• An analysis of Gilbert's work, by Andrew Hungerford
• "The Controversy Surrounding Gilbert's Last Opera" by Robert Morrison
• List of Gilbert's works, with links to most of them at The Gilbert & Sullivan Archive
• Some of Gilbert's short stories
• Works by W. S. Gilbert at Project Gutenberg
• A Stage Play, by W. Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Seymour Hicks ( 30 January 1871 &ndash 6 April 1949) was a British actor Music hall performer playwright screenwriter Circus girl1jpg|right|thumb|220px|Terriss as Dora in The Circus Girl ]] Ellaline Terriss, born Ellaline Lewin ( April 13 1872 &ndash Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to Digitize, archive and distribute Cultural works S. Gilbert
• The Babliophile, An Internet Magazine for the Seriously Deranged W. S. Gilbert Enthusiast
• Grim's Dyke Hotel, the Gilberts' former residence.
• W. S. Gilbert at the Internet Movie Database
• W. S. Gilbert Society Journal article about the discovery of a sketchbook claimed by the owner to be by Gilbert. The next issue published letters criticising the attribution.
• Chronology of Gilbert and Sullivan

Persondata
NAME	Gilbert, W. S.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Gilbert, Sir William Schwenck
SHORT DESCRIPTION	playwright, poet
DATE OF BIRTH	18 November 1836
PLACE OF BIRTH	Strand, London
DATE OF DEATH	29 May 1911
PLACE OF DEATH	Grim's Dyke

Events 326 - The old St Peter's Basilica is consecrated 1302 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull Year 1836 ( MDCCCXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Grim's Dyke is the name of a house and estate located in Harrow, England.

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