Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Victoria continues its remarkable 91st season with a new production of the romantic comic opera Patience, opening at the Alexander Theatre, Monash University, before touring to Queenscliff Town Hall and Moe Plaza this July.
More than a romantic comic opera, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience is a sharp satire with a modern feel. Victorian England’s obsession with poets and painters (think Oscar Wilde) seems remarkably close to today’s influencers and celebrity culture, and where political policy changes post by post! With its charm and cleverness, Patience delights G&S fans while first-timers can relate to its uncannily familiar themes.
At the heart of the story is a delicious rivalry between two poets followed by adoring fans too fixated to discern that all their poetry is dreadful, and their love for the quietly sensible Patience, who discovers that true love may not be quite what the adoring fans imagine.
Director Robert Ray is excited to be restaging his international award-winning production for Melbourne audiences. Reprising her award-winning role will be Lynlee Williams as Lady Jane and the award-winning costumes will be featured.
Williams will be joined on stage by Renee Mohring (Patience), James Douglas (Bunthorne), John Parncutt (Grosvenor), Ian Woolford (Colonel), Naomi Tooby (Lady Angela), Stephanna Betts (Lady Saphir), Marisa Panzarin (Lady Ella), Terry MacManus (Duke) and Geoff Dawes (Major).
Lyrebird-nominated Trevor Henley is Musical Director and this new production features GSOV’s best talent (including a special guest appearance by G&S stalwart Ron Pidcock OAM) for the thrill of the combined musical force of 40 singers on stage and full orchestra in the pit creating a live experience that cannot be replicated outside the theatre.
Audiences will feel Sullivan’s glorious score from its soaring ensemble finales to the sparkling comic patter, while Gilbert’s razor-sharp humour is brought alive with lovesick maidens, swaggering dragoons and flamboyant poets through song, dance and energetic performances.
Whether you love musical theatre, opera, or simply a wonderful outing, Patience offers joy, satire, romance, and theatrical sparkle. This is Gilbert and Sullivan at their most entertaining: vibrant, witty, and fun.
Director Robert Ray trained as a dancer, then as a choreographer, director, and teacher. Selected credits include: Poems, City Dances, The Sentimental Bloke (The Australian Ballet); The Merry Widow and Adriana Lecouvreur both with Dame Joan Sutherland (Opera Australia); William Tell and Queen of Spades (San Francisco Opera); The Yeomen of the Guard, Iolanthe, Patience, Cox & Box, My Fair Lady, Chu Chin Chow, The Geisha, The Arcadians, The Gondoliers, The Merry Widow, A Country Girl, Die Fledermaus, and Lilac Time. His production of Patience won Best International Production at the G&S Festival at Harrogate, UK, in 2018.
The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Victoria Inc, founded in 1935 by JC Williamson’s with the University of Melbourne, is one of the three oldest continuously performing groups in Australia. Its performing arm, Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Victoria, offers high-quality and modestly-priced live theatre experiences, specialising in sparkling Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, classic Golden Era musicals and the rediscovery of charming musical and theatrical gems from the late 19th to early 20th century. The Society is a registered charity, independent and self-funded.
Patience
Alexander Theatre – Monash University, 48 Exhibition Walk, Clayton
Season: 10 – 12 July 2026
Bookings: www.monash.edu
Queenscliff Town Hall, 50 Learmonth Street, Queenscliff
Performance: 18 – 19 July 2026
Bookings: www.trybooking.com
Moe Plaza, 22 Moore Street, Moe
Performance: Saturday 26 July 2026
Bookings: www.trybooking.com
For more information, visit: www.gsov.org.au for details.
Image: Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Victoria presents Patience (supplied)
Note: The Queenscliff and Moe performances will be accompanied by a live orchestral recording thanks to the generous sponsorship of opera aficionados, Henkell Wines.