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Trial by Jury
Trial Programme Page 3.jpg
Original programme
Written by W. S. Gilbert (words)
Arthur Sullivan (music)
Characters Angelina, the Plaintiff
Edwin, the Defendant
Learned Judge
Date of premiere 25 March 1875
Place of premiere Royalty Theatre
London, England
Original language English
Subject Breach of promise
Genre Operetta
Setting Court of the Exchequer, ca. 1875

Trial by Jury is one-act operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan. It is the second of their fourteen collaborations and their earliest work still performed today. It opened at the Royalty Theatre in London on 25 March 1875 with Jacques Offenbach's La Périchole and the farce, Cryptoconchoid Syphonostomata.

Trial by Jury moved about to several different theatres. It was performed about 300 times in its first two years. It was a popular and a critical success. It is only about 45 minutes long, has only one act, and has no spoken words.

Trial is about a young man who is sued for jilting his bethrothed. The judge hearing the case decides to marry the young woman himself. Today, it is sometimes played with another Gilbert and Sullivan operetta such as H.M.S. Pinafore.

  • Bradley, Ian. 2001. The Complete Annotated Gilbert and Sullivan. Oxford University Press. pp. 3-5.

Images for kids

  • Contemporary steel engraving illustrating the operetta. In the court, the defendant, with his guitar, clings to his new love. The jilted bride throws herself into the arms of the counsel while the judge gestures his displeasure and the usher tries in vain to control the ensuing disorder among the jury and spectators.

    A scene from Trial by Jury as illustrated in the magazine Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News of 1 May 1875

  • A page from a magazine with a short libretto in two columns, illustrated by quaint cartoons, which include a frieze of dancing lawyers and bailiffs.

    Gilbert's original sketch of Trial by Jury, published in Fun in 1868

  • A programme cover for the Royalty Theatre printed in black and blue with engraved illustrations and decorations. There is a large illustration of the main attraction, La Périchole, but caricatures of Gilbert and Sullivan as cherubs frame a portrait of Selina Dolaro.

    April 1875 programme for La Périchole and Trial by Jury. Sullivan and Gilbert are the cherubs.

  • Engraving of a quaint drawing showing the little round faces of jurymen protruding from a box with the word "Jury" on it in large letters. They gaze up at the usher with cowed expressions while he wags his finger at them.

    The Usher advises the jury. Drawing by W. S. Gilbert

  • A hand-written musical score of with ten lines of treble and bass

    Sullivan's original thematic sketch of Trial by Jury

  • An old photo of an actor in the costume of a judge, with robe and peri-wig, who leans on the bench with a whimsical expression.

    Fred Sullivan as The Learned Judge

  • Trial by Jury - A Nice Dilemma

    Part of the vocal score of "A nice dilemma"

  • A sepia photo of the face of an actor, portraying the judge with an exaggerated expression of distaste

    Rutland Barrington as the Learned Judge

  • A sepia photo showing four characters, the Usher, the Defendant and the Plaintiff swooning in the arms of the Judge.

    The Plaintiff, in "distress", captures the sympathy of the judge and jury. Production with Sydney Granville, 1919

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Trial by Jury para niños

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