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Of special appeal to lovers of Gilbert and Sullivan, ‘Fires of Straw’ is a drama examining the intense ‘affaire’ of the composer Arthur Sullivan with two sisters, Rachel and Louise Scott Russell.
Derived from original material in letters from both sisters, ‘Fires’ illustrates the obsessive nature of their simultaneous relationships with Sullivan throughout the 1860′s and 1870′s and offers an interesting view of Victorian sexuality.
The play is set in 1884 as Sullivan looks back on his old passions from the midst of his relationship with his long-term partner, Mrs Fanny Ronalds.
Including ‘incidental’ music by Sullivan, ‘Fires’ examines how this intense early love affected Sullivan’s later life.
This piece has been performed at venues including the International G&S Festival in Buxton and W S Gilbert’s own home in Harrow Weald, ‘Grim’s Dyke’ and is now being adapted as a radio play.
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