Residents of Canterbury Court were treated to a first-of-its kind performance in the spring of 2024. The Canterbury Choristers took on Gilbert and Sullivan’s only one-act comic opera, Trial by Jury, and the results were extraordinary.
Trial by Jury is a 45-minute opera that tells the story of a jilted bride who sues her would-be groom. The case ensues with much clever musical wordplay but no spoken words. In the end, the judge falls for the bride and offers to marry her.
The road to Canterbury’s Court’s production began with the words, “if you want to do something a little bit different…” from resident Bob Miller. Bob grew up listening to Gilbert and Sullivan operas on the radio with his family. His mother, who was an excellent pianist, would often play the operas and everyone would gather around the piano and sing. Gilbert and Sullivan’s music really stuck with Bob and he has been a fan ever since. So much so that he suggested Trial by Jury as a spring performance to John King Carter, Director of The Canterbury Choristers.
John, who has directed the chorus for the past eight years, had not delved into Gilbert and Sullivan before but was open to the idea. And though the group was accustomed to traditional concerts, they took on the challenge of a full-on production. “There were plenty of challenges,” John notes, with memorization being one of the main ones. Gilbert and Sullivan’s lyrics can be quite dense. It helped that Bob already knew the part of the Judge, who has a song with five verses!
Though initially envisioned as a simple performance, things snowballed quickly and the scope of the project grew. Sandra Garber, a Canterbury Court resident vastly accomplished in stage production, took on set design. The set was then built by volunteers from The Foxhole, Canterbury Court’s own woodworking shop. They built it beautifully and even included a massive extension for the stage which Bob laughs, ““will last at least 1000 years!” They ended up with a very handsome set piece that got its own round of applause before the opera even began.
Cast members did their own costuming. The court officials wore black robes and English barrister wigs. The Bride had a white gown and her maids were dressed in formal gowns as well. Others in the courtroom emulated a 1950’s look.
Bob was impressed at how hard everyone worked to make things come together. There were many volunteers and the enthusiasm and work ethic were contagious. Given the nature of the music, the cast had to take on many extra rehearsals “That kind of thing just makes for community. That’s classic Canterbury Court,” says Bob. “People are still talking about it 3 months later!” he adds.
In the end, the show ran for four sold-out performances. There was even a waiting list for tickets. “The residents really got into it,” says Bob, “It was just great fun.”
