If you've never been to watch The Sorcerer or a G&S show before, here's a summary of the plot. Now all you need to do is sit back and enjoy the show!
Following the death of her husband, Lady Anabella Sangazure has reluctantly sold the Manor of Dibberleigh to a rich tycoon, Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre, but continues to reside close by. Now, after the lockdowns, the villagers of Dibberleigh are relieved that the betrothal and wedding of Sir Marmaduke’s son, Alexis, to Lady Sangazure’s only daughter, Aline, can finally go ahead. To celebrate, they are staging a celebrity cricket match on the village green on the day before the wedding. Only a young man named Conville, the nephew of the local shopkeeper, Mr Parkwright, seems unwilling to join in the happy mood, as he tells his uncle that he is in love with the Vicar of Dibberleigh, Dr. Daly. However, despite Mr Parkwright’s best attempts at matchmaking, Dr. Daly seems unable to conceive that a young man like Conville would be interested in her.
Alexis and Aline arrive and it soon becomes clear that his father and her mother,(despite their recent differences over the Manor House purchase) are concealing long-held feelings for one another, which propriety demands remain hidden. The formal betrothal and signing of the prenuptial agreement takes place. Left alone together, Alexis reveals to his fiancée his plans for the practical implementation of his principle, that true love should unite all classes and ranks. He has enlisted the help of John Wellington Wells, (a mysterious and eccentric travelling type, who styles himself “The Sorcerer”), to lend some supernatural aid to his well- meaning intention to ensure that the wholevillage falls as deeply in love as he and Aline. Aline, however, has serious misgivings about his plans.
Alexis instructs Wells to prepare a batch of love potion sufficient to affect theentire village. Wells mixes the potion during an Incantation, assisted by an array of sprites, fiends, monsters and other fearsome beings. The village gathers for the Cricket Tea and the potion is added to the teapot. All the villagers, except Alexis, Aline and Wells, drink it and, after experiencing some hallucinations, fall unconscious.
At midnight that night, the villagers awake and, under the influence of thepotion, each fall in love with the very first person that they see, resulting in highly unsuitable and comic matches. However, Alexis is pleased with the results and now asserts that he and Aline should drink the potion themselves to seal their own love. Aline is hurt by his lack of trust and refuses. They argue and part on bad terms.
On her wedding morning, Aline is having second thoughts. Alexis is still reelingfrom the argument with Aline the night before but is distracted however, by the revelation that his father has fallen for Mrs Coverall, a local char lady, but he determines to make the best of this union.
Wells meanwhile, is regretting the results that his potion has caused, and regretsthem still further when the fearsome Lady Sangazure fixes on him as the object of her affections. Aline decides to yield to Alexis' persuasion and drinks the potion without telling Alexis. Upon awaking, she inadvertently sees Dr. Daly first and is promptly smitten. Alexis desperately appeals to Wells as to how the effects of the spell can be reversed. It turns out that this requires that either Alexis or Wells must sacrifice themselves.
The people of Dibberleigh rally against the outsider and Wells, resignedly, bidsfarewell. The demise of Wells breaks the spell, the villagers pair off according to their true feelings, and are finally able to celebrate at Alexis and Aline’s wedding. 🍾🥂
The End!
