GILBERT and Sullivan has some of the most faithful fans and performers around. Their soaring scores and witty repartee still continue to entertain audiences more than a century after they were first performed, writes Kerry Black.

This week in The King' Theatre, Edinburgh, the Edinburgh Gilbert & Sullivan Society (EDGAS), performed a beautiful version of Ruddygore. Although Ruddygore is one of the less well known G&S shows it adheres to their usual formula of distressed maidens, dastardly villains, long lost relatives and ridiculous ancestors.

In a strange twist of fate, like their most recent show, Me and My Girl (staged in the Churchill Theatre last autumn), the ancestors descend from portraits in a dazzling scene, lit by Fife’s legendary Mike Pendlowski,to help the main characters see sense.

The show opens with a picture perfect seaside village set which could easily have sprung from a Disney movie. Poor Rose Maybud (played with perfect comic timing and etiquette by Gillian Robertson), seeks a husband, as do all the women in the village-in fact they are Ruddygore’s very own band of professional bridesmaids! She is madly in love with Robin Oakapple (Ian Lawson-who is surely the master of the exaggerated facial expression, especially in the second act with his Scooby Doo style wig!).

However, due to them both being too shy to actually declare their love to each other, she ends up being betrothed to the dashing Dick Dauntless (Chris Cotter), his lusty long lost brother who entices her with his tattoos and handstands! Dick knows that Robin is actually living in disguise as he wishes to avoid his legacy as heir to the Murgatroyd fortune, as this involves doing a bad deed every day!

Meantime, their other brother Sir Despard (Simon G Boothroyd – in a marvellous scenery chewing role which reminded me of a silent movie baddie), is compelled to carry on the family curse. Due to this he had long ago abandoned the love of his life, poor Mad Margaret, (wonderfully played by Lochgelly’s very own Fiona Main).

Over the years Fiona has played many parts in both Lochgelly and Kelty Musicals, starting as a Snow Child in Carousel and most recently as Sister Sarah in Kelty’s Guys and Dolls.

However, she most frequently performs in G&S. This part takes her from a bedraggled barefoot wench to a diligent district visitor, allowing her to showcase not only her fabulous voice but also her acting and dancing skills, (as long as she remembers Basingstoke!)

The best thing about EDGAS is the quality of their singing, from the chorus harmonies in the Madrigal number to Dame Hannah’s soaring contralto (played with great gusto by Annabel Hamid) and Sir Roderic’s powerful tones (Farlane Whitty), under the baton of their amazing Musical Director, David Lyle, they could put many a professional show to shame.

Coupled with imaginative Artistic Direction by Alan Borthwick, a ghost scene which must surely have been the 19th Century inspiration for Thriller, a magic chair and even a rewritten patter song featuring everything from Trump to Brexit, this show proves once again why folk still love a good G&S show!

Ruddygore is on in the King's Theatre, Edinburgh, 0131 529 6000, from March 21 to March 25 at 7.30pm nightly