The Wilton’s Music Hall filled once again with an eagerly awaiting audience as the cast of Patience prepared to start the show.

From writers Gilbert & Sullivan, Patience is a satirical take on the Aesthetic Movement from way back when Oscar Wilde and the gang were still floating about town.

The show began as three lovesick maidens drank their sorrows away, propped up against a bar. Opera voices rang out as they each proclaimed their love for eccentric poet Bunthorne to the dismay of their old sweetheart soldiers. Heartbreakingly, Bunthorne’s affections belonged to another, barmaid Patience. Shockingly, Patience told the Melancholic Maidens that she in turn had never loved anyone (apart from her Aunt that is) and before we know it had declared her love for childhood friend, Archibald Grosvenor. Low and behold though, Archibald the Alright was the embodiment of perfection and therefore t’would be a selfish act for Patience to love him.

What ensues is an ironic observation of the fleeting, superficial movements within the arts world that is as astute now as it was when Patience was first performed in the late 1800s.

Performed by the Charles Court Opera, one of the UK’s leading chamber opera and music theatre companies, the vocals coming from the stage featured an incredible range. Although, if this had been your first opera, then you may have found some of the numbers difficult to keep up with. Occasionally the vocals flying over the top of one another from across the stage could be a tad unintelligible, but for the most part waves of goosebumps were shortly followed by rounds of pleased applause as the cast joined together in chorus.

Just before the night began, an announcer from the Wilton’s Music Hall let the audience know that due to illness, the role of Bunthorne would be played by director John Savournin. Savournin took to the role of Bunthorne swimmingly. Unfortunately though, this meant that some of the humour didn’t really land. Patience is a satirical take on the over the top, superficial fleeting fancies of artistic movements and dare we say it but Savournin looked a tad too dashing up there for the irony to really take hold.

Elements of the show had gone through a quick modern overhaul. Castle Bunthorne had been swapped out for an English pub, The Castle and Patience stopped milking cows and started pouring pints. The Rapturous Maidens had even rebranded into the Melancholic Maidens and the Dragoon Guards were garbed in a modernised uniform. A slight reimagining, if you will.

All in all, Patience was a fun filled, toe tappingly pleasant way to spend an evening.