Recruiting Post

As sometimes it may happen (or does happen, no "may" about it) a post was sent to Savoynet* attempting to recruit men for someone's local G&S production. As I have pointed out previously in this space, community theater is a great way for men to meet women* and thus I was well pleased with the following correspondence:

John Lanigan-O'Keeffe suggested the following:

Dear Rob,

Put this ad in your local paper or in The Independent lonely hearts and definitely in your programme for every production.

Men! Do you want to meet women?
Join your local operatic society.

There are twice as many girls as guys.

Half the guys are gay.

Half the guys are married.

There are all these women and just you.

Listen to the Voice of Personal Experience:- "I and several others I could name solved their search for love by joining the men's chorus. I met my first girlfriend in Orpheus in the Underworld, my late wife through Utopia, Ltd and my fiancee in Eugene Onegin. In rehearsals and performance, you see the ladies warts and all, and choose the best. You see who's selfish, who's considerate, who laughs at frustration and who blames the nearest person, who listens and who's a compulsive talker, who has a sense of humour and who is up themself. I observed for several weeks and chose the best to be my onstage partner. Soon she was my life partner. Men, don't give up. Reach for that phone and join St Albans Operatic Society today!"

Which sparked this post from Clifton Coles:

Ahem!

Men! Do you want to meet men?

Join your local operatic society.

Two-thirds of the guys are gay.

One-third of the guys are married.

Not all of the married guys are straight.

All of the women are married.

All of the women are gay-friendly.

Some of the women have gay husbands.

Drinks every Friday after rehearsals.

Testimonials: "I met my first husband and the love of my life by joining the men's chorus. I met my second husband and the love of my life building the set for the show. I met my present husband and the love of my life when he was accompanying rehearsals for the show on the piano." "I was third peer on the right, baritone. He was fifth peer on the right, tenor. I made sure he was at my elbow at 'though our heart she's badly bruising' and we've been inseparable ever since."

Men, don't give up! Put that cocktail down, reach for the phone, and call the State-Operated Dramatics Operatics Musics. I'll readily bet it, you'll never regret it!

****

In loving jest,

Uncle C
(perceptively intense and consummately utter)

If enough groups follow these models, we should have no further trouble maintaining the strength.

*Savoynet is the international e-mail discussion list for G&S anoraks fans to which I have cheerfully subscribed for a dozen-ish years.