Talk:W. S. Gilbert

The unattrib-section hx

   The section was begun with one entry, prior to Jan. '06, and added 4 in a single ip edit the same month. The wonderful Ruddigore one (see next section) was added 02:45, February 27, 2007 by User:Michael Hopcroft.
   (There's not as much aid for fixing "blame" as on WP -- but then the task is neither as onerous without aid, nor presumably as frequently performed, here. In any case, someone may profit from my recording those results of my less-assisted searches.)
--Jerzy•t 02:53, 9 June 2013 (UTC)

The quote about the title of Ruddigore

   Our current revision lists a variant of the "bloody cheek" quote that is close to a couple of the four or so variants discussed at pp. 126-128 of

The Story of the Savoy Opera: In Gilbert and Sullivan Days by S J Adair Fitz-Gerald

-- which GoogleBooks presents as being under copyright. Amazon via various searches incl. this, this, and/or this (too tired to retrace my tracks!) gives

The story of the Savoy opera in Gilbert and Sullivan days, by S. J. Adair Fitz-Gerald (1925)

IDs him as

Fitz-Gerald, S. J. Adair (Shafto Justin Adair), 1859-1925

and offers a recent edition with an (i presume) new intro by a 2nd author (perhaps for the sake of providing them and/or a partner with a product on which to hold a fresh copyright).
--Jerzy•t 02:53, 9 June 2013 (UTC)

Unsourced

• Humour is a drug which it's the fashion to abuse.

• I suppose he expected to see me kissing all the carpenters
  • Comment on a (possibly apocryphal) conversation between Gilbert and a French designer during the first night of Princess Ida.

• No one can have a higher opinion of him than I have--and I think he is a dirty little beast.

• Take my daughters, most of whom are beauties
  • Modified libretto for the finale of Act II of The Pirates of Penzance in response to his not choosing the female chorus for the 1906 revival

• Beautiful Mabel, I'd sing if I could but I am not able!
  • Shouted from the stalls during rehearsals for The Pirates of Penzance when the actor playing Frederic was not present

• (During the period after the debut of Ruddigore, which was far less successful at the box office than its predecessor The Mikado)

Gentleman: How is Bloodygore doing?

Gilbert: The title is Ruddigore.

Gentleman: Surely that's the same thing.

Gilbert: Then it is the same to say "I admire your ruddy countenance" -- which I do -- as "I like your bloody cheek" -- which I don't.