George's Insights
"I"/George's Insights 12/01/09 An Interview With “I”
Editor’s Note #1
“I” – no surprise – interviewed himself for this piece. He had requested of himself some further insights into his approach to G&S, and the creation of Gee ‘n Ess &“I” – and, he kindly obliged himself. He-the-interviewer and He-the-interviewee by all accounts got on famously!
- the ed. ("I")
Editor’s Note #2
Willian Schwenck Gilbert – the librettist (he wrote the words) of the G&S collaboration – was born in 1836, one hundred years before “I”/George’s 1936 arrival. So, “I” & “I” kicked off their interview:
Q. - So, you think the 100-year birth date coincidence is – maybe – “fun”?
“I” - Kind of seems significant, huh? “Bound-to-be,” this affinity I have for W.S. Gilbert and his genius?…this attraction I have to him?…but, I’m not really superstitious at all.
Q. - Are you a true exponent of “traditional” G&S? – you know, the “don’t change a thing from the original” kind of tradition?
“I” - Well, you bring up a good point; there’s been a fun sort of evolution there. Until 1961 – 50 years following Gilbert’s death at the expiry of the copyrights to his work – every performance of G&S had to be done exactly as in Gilbert’s original stage direction – no changes permitted. And, worldwide, it had become a sort of “in’ joke - one G&S-er to another (they’re called “Savoyards,” after the Savoy Opera house built for G&S to perform their comic operas) – when one would inquire about the upcoming production by another: [mock-conspiratorial, hushed tone] – “you’re not going to change anything, I trust!?” – [with pseudo-gravity]…because performers everywhere just love to depart from the original, and launch into something they think is brilliant and comical to add to the show; so – usually for the better – it was frowned upon to even sneak in any unapproved “comic” bits into G&S. But then, after 1961, the world went wild – all sorts of crazy variations of the shows were staged (some of them fun, some disastrous) – all sorts of experiments and games played with G&S.
But I (“I”) am more traditional than not; no “witty” changes of words, or new verses to songs; no (I hope) excessive hamming it up. Rather, there’s much attempt by me and the designers to milk the original intent to the max extent of which I’m capable – given my understanding of the wit and the drama, and with whatever abilities I do (or don’t) have, to play it, say it, sing it, dance it, costume it – all of that.
There’s an old adage – or, if there isn’t, there should be, ‘cause it’s true: you can’t spoof a spoof!!
Q. - A spoof?
“I” - A send-up…a guy!
Q. - A what?
“I” - A parody… a take-off. I try to avoid camp.
Q. - Avoid what?
“I” - Overplaying…sort-of “making fun of.” So, I try to do the best I can to make what Gilbert & Sullivan created come alive in a meaningful way for today’s audience – both adults and kids. What I mean is, if the original wit or humor is really good – even if dated (old-time issues) – then, making fun of the making fun is invariably disastrous – a real bomb! – and not even necessary – it stands on its own! (If I could write like Gilbert did 125 years ago, then I’d be writing original stuff! I can’t, and so I’m not!)
Q. - So, what do you bring to G&S in Gee ‘n Ess & “I” that 1000s of prior productions haven’t?
“I” - Scary question!! No, not really: I think and hope that I bring perspective, first and foremost…the sum total of the approach; the synthesis of all the bits we’ve created from eleven of the shows – I think – is unique. There’s not one single – that is, by-itself – thing, song, dance – that I do in this show which hasn’t been performed “better” by literally hundreds of professional and amateur performers – both men and women – in the past 100 years. But what I really believe, is that the amalgam – the interrelationships, the interweaving of the various bits we’ve created – is unique, and – to me – interesting. I have fun playing it – experiencing the progression. Whether people will like it?...you know, I think that many will; if not?...well, anyway, it’s been a joy, for three years, to create it.
Q. - So, you play G&S sort of “straight”?
“I” - Well, yes and no. We’re taking advantage of as many opportunities as possible to utilize – capitalize on – the unique features our show offers: the “one-man-doing-it-all” pre-recording, singing choruses and harmony, and solos of men and women; my own added text (sparing enough, I hope) to link the “bits” and provide a little context for them; the “color” potential of our computer-generated sound for the accompaniment; the all-sorts-of visual projections on-stage – the creative paintings, the video. So…no, I’d have to say that it’s very unconventional…but, in a traditional sort of way…
Q. - Meaning?
“I” - Guess you’ll just have to come and see!
“O, winnow all my folly, folly, folly, and you’ll find
A grain or two of Truth among the chaff!”
- Jack Point (the Jester) – “Yeomen Of Guard”
“Mad? … I?
Yes! Very!
But…why?
Mys –TER-ry!” - Mad Margaret - "Ruddigore"
Madness? Who knows? Folly? Truth? Chaff?
At 73 - working daily - to “try” to sing, dance, act, etc. -
(battling the weight problem - avoiding looking foolish or worse?)
Foot, toe, knee, neck, back - whatever; they alternate defying the continuing!
(Can you relate?)
Heart? (the beating one) That’s fine - amazing 11 years post-quad/bypass!
...(the “faint-of” kind?): - well, that’s different! Wondering, “Why do it?!”- (who knows?) Enduring intruding flashes/fantasies, of friends rolling eyes, exchanging glances: “Ohhhooo…is he bad, or what?!” (& Non-friends: “We paid money for this guy?!)
So, again, why?
Because it’s there?! Maybe: hope springs eternal – “it will be good!”
…because, to say, “I did it?!”
Maybe…maybe that’s part of it?
I don’t know for sure.
I DO Know ONE thing for sure:
G&S are witty, funny, articulate, lively, musical, interpretive of the passing scene, literate, easy, yet intellectually stimulating - all at the same time!
There’s a collective “we got it?” awareness that all who experience them share; yet G&S are fodder for private ruminations* also - and I want us (the oldsters, who’ve been there before) and our kids – to experience it! - to get it! - to ruminate on it!
G&S – (especially the way we’re approaching presenting them on-stage in Gee ‘n Ess & “I”) - certainly do open intellectual and fun-ness doors that may not be beckoning to our kids in our current culture!
And I think I can pull it off;
and, if I don’t, what’s the worst that can happen?
No big deal. Just one more old guy looking foolish…
But to not try - now that would be a big deal!
See you,
“I”
*Sorry [fodder…ruminate]; couldn’t help it; it just came to me!