Sir Arthur Sullivan: The Zoo (A Musical Folly)
December 1 @ 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM ACDT
THE ZOO 1ST December 2025, 7 00 pm Adelaide Zoo
In 1875, three months after writing the sensationally successful one act opera, Trial by Jury, Sullivan wrote another one-acter, The Zoo, with Bolton Rowe as librettist. A farcical story concerns two pairs of lovers: one involving a nobleman, who goes to the zoo to woo the girl who sells snacks there and tries to impress her by buying and eating all of the food. And another couple involving a young chemist who believes that he has poisoned his beloved by mixing up her father’s prescription with peppermint that he had meant for her. A light-hearted tale elevated with sprightly, charming music from the hand of the composer described by WS Gilbert himself as “incomparably, the most accomplished English musician of his age”. The stage was ripe for the remarkable successes struck by these two icons over the following twenty years.
Creative Staff
Stage Director: Nicholas Cannon
Designers: Deborah Johnson/Alexandra Woolston
Theatre Technician: Aaron Woolston
Head Administrator: James Scott
Musical Director/Pianist: Nerissa Pearce
Cast
Laetitia Grinder: Alexandra Woolston
Aesculapius Carboy: Mark Oates
Eliza Smith: Deborah Johnson
Thomas Brown: Nicolas Cannon
Mr Grinder: James Scott
Refreshments
Arrival drink, canapes and grazing platter included.