About Us

    The Oxford University Gilbert and Sullivan Society is devoted to the appreciation and to the performance of the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, the writers of Victorian comic opera. The shows sit somewhere between grand opera and musical theatre, but they're catchy, lively, slightly absurd, and essentially a genre all to themselves. You can find much more about them and their music than you ever wanted to know here.

    We are the most active dramatic society in Oxford, committed to putting on a production of a Savoy Opera every term:
            In Michaelmas,  our semi-staged Freshers show, where casting preference is given to Freshers.
            In Hilary, our main fully staged show.
            In Trinity, a semi-staged show.

(In semi-staged productions, a seated chorus backs up the costumed cast, and the music is accompanied by piano).

    The society also holds smaller concerts of G&S favourites; most recently we have contributed to the series of lunchtime recitals at one of Oxford's central churches, St Michael's at the North Gate.

    We hold weekly social events for our members, usually a sing- and read-through of one of the Gilbert & Sullivan operas. The preceeding term's show is usually sung through cross-cast (where one sings the parts of the opposite gender) and the next term's show is previewed. See our termcard for this term's social events.

    The society holds a biennial G&S marathon going non-stop (more or less!) through the entire G&S Canon. We also hold an Annual Dinner, a black-tie event, in Trinity term.

    The society is one of Oxford's oldest and most prestigious, dating back to 1927 in its current form (it existed more informally even before then). Our alumni include national directors and conductors, and the society was specifically mentioned in the Oscar winning film, "Chariots of Fire". We have performed in numerous prestigious locations from the Oxford Playhouse to the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival, held every year in Buxton.