History Theatre / Iolanthe

** The MoodWhiplash reaches its ultimate with a totally [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness non-comic]] TearJerker scene absolutely PlayedForDrama: [[spoiler:Iolanthe reveals to Strephon and Phyllis that she married the Lord Chancellor years ago, but now must never see again on pain of death. The Lord Chancellor enters, determined to marry Phyllis. Iolanthe pleads with him incognito in a beautiful, heart-rending song, reminding him of his own dead wife from his youth. After momentary indecision, he steels himself and informs this unknown lady that Phyllis is his own promised bride. Iolanthe reveals herself, determined to sacrifice her life for his son's happiness -- and possibly because of her own jealousy. The Fairy Queen enters to execute her.]] Then the whole thing is resolved with a typically ridiculous G&S happy ending.

* MoodWhiplash: the second half of Act 2. The Lord Chancellor sings a gloomy recitative which leads into a surreal comic song. He, Tolloller and Mountararat then have a funny dialogue and an upbeat song. Then Strephon enters "in low spirits" (the whiplash is even more pronounced if his darkly satirical CutSong is included) but then reconciles with Phyllis and they sing a happy duet. They ask Iolanthe to persuade the Lord Chancellor to let them marry.

---> '''Phyllis''': If I see you kissing a very young lady, I shall know she's an elderly relative.

* RealDreamsAreWeirder: ditto ditto the above.

* MoodWhiplash: the second half of Act 2. The Lord Chancellor sings a gloomy recitative which leads into a surreal comic song. He, Tolloller and Mountararat then have a funny dialogue and an upbeat song. Then Strephon enters "in low spirits" (the whiplash is even more pronounced if his darkly satirical CutSong is included) but then reconciles with Phyllis and they sing a happy duet. They ask Iolanthe to persuade the Lord Chancellor to let them marry. [[spoiler:Iolanthe reveals that the Lord Chancellor is the mortal she married years ago and must never see again on pain of death. He enters, determind to marry Phyllis. Iolanthe pleads with him incognito in a beautiful, heart-rending song. It doesn't work, so she reveals herself, prepared sacrifice her life (which is absolutely PlayedForDrama) to secure her son's happiness. The Fairy Queen enters to execute her.]] Then the whole thing is resolved with a typically ridiculous G&S happy ending.

--> I wouldn't say a word that could be reckoned as injurious
--> But to find a mother younger than her son is very curious

Blood is thick, but water's thin\\

-->"When Wellington thrashed Bonaparte,\\

And did it very well."

-->We were boys together! Or at least, I was.

GilbertAndSullivan opera set at some indeterminate point in English history poking considerable fun at the House Of Lords.

-->Nothing venture, nothing win
-->Blood is thick, but water's thin
-->In for a penny, in for a pound
-->It's Love that makes the world go round!
* IAmSong: This is GilbertAndSullivan, what did you expect?

** His monologue wondering what will happen as he grows older and only half of him ages is also full of this, to the point that it's not even all that hidden in terms of [[TheLoinsSleeepTonight what precisely he's worried about]].

** His monologue wondering what will happen as he grows older and only half of him ages is also full of this, to the point that it's not even all that hidden.

* ClicheStorm: The song "If You Go In/You're Sure To Win".

* DragQueen: At least one production has had the "Fairy Queen" played by a man in drag.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: the Nightmare Song.

* BritishRoyalGuards: Private Willis is one of these, and he sings a solo while no one's looking.

** She then goes on to add even more horrific punishments, such as [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotHeinous rearranging Parliament's schedule so that the House of Lords will be in session during grouse hunting season.]]

* StrawManHasAPoint: Sullivan somehow made Gilbert's straw man arguments in Earl Tolloller's "Blue Blood" and Lord Mountararat's "When Britain Really ruled The Waves" sound like they made sense.

* BlueBlood: All the peers.

* AbsurdlyYouthfulMother: Fairies are unaging and, Stephron has a hard time explaining to his beloved that these nubile women he is seen embracing are, in fact, his mother and his aunts, all of whom look younger than him.

* FriendVersusLover: Tolloler and Mountararat.

* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: All the fairies.
* RelativeError: Phyllis catches Strephon embracing his mother, who (as an immortal fairy) is ReallySevenHundredYearsOld but looks to be about seventeen. Phyllis is [[NotWhatItLooksLike understandably skeptical]] and promptly breaks off their engagement.

* ThePiratesWhoDon'tDoAnything:
-->"When {{Wellington}} thrashed {{Bonaparte}},\\
As every child can tell,\\
The House of Peers, throughout the war,\\
Did nothing in particular,\\
And did it very well."

* StrawManHasAPoint: Sullivan somehow made Gilbert's straw man arguments in Earl Tolloller's Blue Blood and Lord Mountararat When Britain Really ruled The Waves sound like they made sense.
-->"When Wellington thrased Bonaparte,\\

* FelonyMisdemeanor: See CoolAndUnusualPunishment, above. Played for laughs, obviously.

** She then goes on to add even more horrific punishments, such as rearranging Parliament's schedule so that the House of Lords will be in session during grouse hunting season.