International G&S Festival

August 16th 2018

For the 26th International G&S Festival's UniFest LOpSoc presented a fresh reimagining of Patience, which opened at 2:30pm on 16th August in the Harrogate Theatre!
This unique production brought this 'coming-of-age' story into the early 2000s. Patience, a no-nonsense barista, found herself swept up in the tide of hipster culture as her cafe becomes the scene of a chaotic battle for attention as a Uni rugby team returns home from a tour to find that their girlfriends have fallen in love with a local poet and his hipster aesthetic.

LOpSoc were nominated for awards for Best Chorus, Best Costumes and Abby Pardoe was nominated for Best Director.
Amber Courage won the award for Best Female Voice for her performance as Patience. Tim Lutton, Bridie Strachan and Liam Chan won the awards for Best Musical Direction.

Production Team

Director: Abby Pardoe
Creative Director: Rhona Graham
Musical Directors: Bridie Strachan and Tim Lutton
Assistant Musical Director: Liam Chan
Choreographer: Clementine Chirol
Producer: Delyth Simons
Technical Director: Edmund King
Technical Team: Stage Technician's Society (StageSoc)


August 10th 2017

LOpSoc took on tour our very unique, origami-inspired version of 'The Mikado', which was performed in the Harrogate Savoy Theatre on August 10th at 2:30pm. This production won the Best Show award in the UniFest, as well as the Best Musical Director and Best Director awards. LOpSoc was nominated for the Best Chorus awards, and some of our principal cast were also nominated for individual awards: Joseph Hand - Best Male Performer, Phil Needle - Best Male Voice, Ben Walker and Barnaby Wilson - Best Male Actor. Faithful to the original libretto and with a new aesthetic twist, a production to please G&S fans and newcomers alike.

Production Team
Directors: Billy Boulton & George Smith
Musical Directors: David Child & Liam Chan
Technical Directors: Tom Pell & David Young
Choreographer: Renata Stella
Head Producer: Renata Stella
Producers: Lucy Rose & Isaac Treuherz
Wardrobe Managers: Amber Courage & Eris Perring




"I think I can say with honesty that this Mikado is the best show I have seen during the entire life of the UniFest. Everyone involved with it deserves enormous congratulation and credit. (...) Kudos to a really excellent chorus, who put to shame some of those in the main house; and to a team of principals whose ensemble work was precise and superbly blended."
Stephen Turnbull's review, G&S UniFest Ajudicator.

August 17th 2016

LOpSoc went on tour with our production of "The Gondoliers", performing on the 17th of August at the Harrogate Savoy Theatre for a sold-out audience.

Congratulations to our members who were nominated for awards this year! Sophie Brant - Best Character Actress nomination; Billy Boulton and Barnaby Wilson - Best Character Actor nominations; Amber Courage - Best Costumes nomination.

Production Team

Directors: Joseph Hand & Owen Perring
Assistant Director: Vikie Miller
Musical Directors: Renata Stella & George Smith
Technical Director: Edmund King
Choreographer: Emily Gray
Producer: Jeremy Hunt
Wardrobe Manager: Amber Courage


August 13rd 2015

LOpSoc took our very own modernised and gender-swapped production of Iolanthe to the festival this year.

We are very happy to have received the awards for Best Director (Emma Joy & Abby Pardoe), Best Character Actress (Jenny Samuel) and Best Costumes (Tab Kimpton & Charlie Rowen). LOpSoc was also nominated for the Best Chorus award, which makes us very proud of all the talented people which are part of our unauditioned chorus!

Production Team

Directors: Emma Joy & Abby Pardoe
Creative Director: Charlie Rowen
Musical Directors: Jeremy Hunt & Vikie Miller
Technical Director: Lotte Graham
Choreographers: Emily Gray & Sarah Hemming
Producers: Alex Blelloch & Thomas Joy
Costumes: Tab Kimpton & Charlie Rowen


August 21st 2014

LOpSoc presented The Pirates of Penzance in the 2014 International Gilbert & Sulivan Festival.
We are proud to announce that our production won the UniFest this year!

LOpSoc received awards for Best Production, Best Director (Jon North), Best Musical Director (Thomas Joy), Best Character Actor (Richard Patient) and Best Male Performer (Joseph Hand), with nominations for Best Female Voice (Rosie Bowen) and Best Female Performer (Jenny Samuel).

Production Team

Directors: Jon North & Ian Wainwright
Musical Director: Thomas Joy
Choreographer: Sarah Hemming
Producers: Emma Joy & Charlie Rowen
Assistant Producer: Charli Bradley
Costumes: Tab Kimpton