SUFFERING from the blues now Tavistock Festival is over? Do not fear, because Tavistock Musical Theatre Company (TMTS) and the Plymouth Gilbert and Sullivan Fellowship is here to bring you another helping of musical masterclasses.

The two award-winning groups will be running a day of musical fun and entertainment in St Eustachius’ Church on May 20 entitled The Scratch Mikado and people are being offered the chance to be part of a choir and evening performance or just come and watch the evening performance.

Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera The Mikado, set in Japan, is one of the most popular music theatre shows ever and this will be a wonderful opportunity for anyone who enjoys singing to sing alongside what is possibly the best Gilbert and Sullivan choir in the county, said Pete Clement from TMTC.

‘Plymouth G&S is the oldest G&S company in England and plans to perform The Mikado again but not until its centenary year — 2020. This is a chance to see two award-winning companies perform-ing it and you can be involved.

‘Tavistock has so much talent and we would like to see new singers come along to the event. We are always looking for new members so this will also be a kind of recruitment day for us. But there is no pressure, we just want people to join in the day which will be a great celebration of music.’

Half of the original cast from the Theatre Royal Plymouth Production of Mikado in 2000 will be taking part in the event as well as the original musical director Dr Paul Foster and Dr Sean Sweeney, the musical director at St Eustachius Church.

The workshop will run from 10am to 5pm with an evening performance at 7.30pm.

TMTC has been performing a mixture of traditional musical theatre and light opera since the 1950s and Plymouth G&S has also recently diversified in its choice of shows — its latest production Chess was a real hit with the audiences.

This autumn TMTC will be performing The Wizard of Oz and more adults are being sought for various roles. Auditions for Dorothy and the three main characters of the tinman, the lion and the scarecrow will be held on May 24

See forthcoming events on page 17 of this week’s Times for more information of The Scratch Mikado or email [email protected]