Trial by Music

Trial by Music was commissioned in 2013 by 1000 Day Productions as a fun Gilbert and Sullivan compilation show, featuring songs from their 14 operettas, both familiar and unfamiliar.

The action takes place in a British style courtroom, but in Utopia, after both Gilbert and Sullivan have died. W. S. Gilbert has decided to sue Arthur Sullivan for greater recognition for his part in creating the Savoy Operas. His contention is that as he had come up with the plots, lyrics and books, while Sullivan merely ‘plagiarized’ other people’s music to create the tunes, then he, Gilbert, should have been better known.

Gilbert as a trained (if unsuccessful) solicitor chooses to represent himself, while Sullivan employs a brief to act on his behalf. What Gilbert doesn’t realize is that all the court staff from the Judge down are characters of his own invention – Lord Chancellor as Judge, Koko as Clerk, Princess Ida as Barrister, etc. In the ensuing court-case the claims and counterclaims are illustrated with music from their operettas. Following evidence given by a guest witness, Helen Doyly-Carte, the judge rules that neither Gilbert nor Sullivan should be held above the other, and requests that the troupe put on a performance of Trail by Jury.