Heathcoat Amateur Operatic Society following the excellent initial performance on Wednesday were patronised by crowded houses on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and a matinee on Saturday. There were many encores including a treble recall for the ‘Dance a Cachuca’ with castanet accompaniment.

The Gondoliers is one of the fourteen ‘operettas’ written and composed by William Gilbert, the lyricist, and Arthur Sullivan, the composer. They were brought together by theatre manager, Richard D’Oyly Carte in 1871 and worked together for 25 years. Their ‘light opera’ was very popular in the later Victorian era and D’Oyly Carte founded the Savoy Theatre to showcase the works of Gilbert & Sullivan as well as a touring company which was prominent for many years. These works have remained popular right up to the present day for both professional and amateur companies.

This must have been one of the first productions of the Heathcoat Amateur Operatic Society. In 1927, its name was changed to the Tiverton Amateur Operatic Society (TAOS) which, apart from a gap between 1935 and 1945, continues to this day. Throughout its history the Society has often returned to the extensive Gilbert & Sullivan repertoire. As well as the performance in 1923, the Gondoliers came to life in 1952, 1962, 1981 and in the year 2000.

The photos show a programme for the 1962 production and some photos from the illustrated programme for HMS Pinafore which they performed in February 1921.