THESPIS

 

 

 

In the autumn of 1871, John Hollingshead, who managed The Gaiety Theatre in the Strand, asked Gilbert to write a comic opera for Christmas.   He had Sullivan in mind for

the score.    Sullivan accepted.   Gilbert wrote the libretto of what was Thespis or The

Gods Grown Old quickly, but Sullivan did not finish the music until December, leaving

not very long for rehearsals before the premiere on Boxing Day, 26 December 1871.

 

Thespis  was the first collaboration of Gilbert and Sullivan.   There was no hint, at the time, that this was the beginning of a long collaboration between two people, each a genius.

 

In Thespis, Olympus,the mountain of the gods, is in a bad state.   The buildings are in

ruins and the gods have become elderly.   A band of actors and actresses led by Thespis

has  climbed  up Mount Olympus for a picnic.   Thespis agrees with Jupiter that his  

troupe  will take the places of the gods and do their work, though Mercury will stay on

Mount Olympus to show the players their duties.   When the actors take over, everything

goes wrong and Mercury  does nothing to help, but just makes notes of complaints.    The

gods return, fly into a rage and banish all the actors to earth.            

 

The Gaiety Theatre was renowned for its burlesque shows, with comedians talking in

rhyme, making puns and cracking topical jokes, the chorus consisting of scantily dressed

females.   Unfortunately, many in the audience of Thespis  were not familiar with Apollo,

Jupiter and Mars, so the reception at the premiere left a lot to be desired, particularly

among the audience in the gallery and the pit.                 

 

 

Although the libretto of Thespis has survived,  the music disappeared many years ago.   

Sullivan did use one chorus from Thespis in The Pirates of Penzance: “Climbing over

rocky mountain”and one song from Thespis became popular and was published: “Little

Maid of Arcadee”.