IOLANTHE

With its cast of noble lords and rebellious fairies - the Peers and Peris of the operetta's subtitle - Iolanthe is not the most obviously accessible of Gilbert and Sullivan's works. Highly operatic, deeply satirical, and with a stunningly ludicrous plot, it cries out for confident direction and excellent voices.Happily, TAOS provides both.

From the moment the chorus of fairies, clad in butterfly-print pinnies, begin 'tripping hither, tripping thither' across the stage, the spell is cast and disbelief willingly suspended.

It has to be, really, to deal with a tale involving a banished fairy, her half-immortal son (fairy down to the waist, but with sturdily mortal legs), his utterly earthy shepherdess sweetheart and the entire House of Lords.

Casting is spot on, with Kate Courage enchanting in the title role, Teresa Bray hitting all the right notes as Phyllis, the sexy shepherdess, and TAOS stalwarts Brian Hussey and Sean Andrews providing a classy double act as Lords Mountararat and Tolloller.

The star of the show, though, with the best lines and the real G &S show-offy lyrics, is Paul Butler as the Lord Chancellor.

The chorus, as ever, act as well as they sing, doing equal justice to the lyrics and the comedy of the piece.

The last TAOS performance of Iolanthe took place more than 20 years ago, at the height of Thatcherism; this performance brings a splendid political satire right up to date.

Joceline Bury