Patience 1881

Opened: September 22, 1881

Patience - 1881 - Broadway History , Info & More

Standard Theatre
102 W. 33rd St. New York, NY

Fads come and go, and aesthetic poetry is all the rage in town these days, especially among the maidens who have all become groupies of the self-styled poet Reginald Bunthorne - to the dismay of their macho military boyfriends. All but Patience, the virtuous village milkmaid who claims to have never loved anyone. She doesn't care for poetry much either, and, as it turns out, neither does Bunthorne! And while Bunthorne is infatuated with Patience, she falls for her childhood crush Archibald Grosvenor, another famous aesthete who attracts women even faster than Bunthorne. The rigid military men attempt to win back their ladies by comically attempting to be willowy poets, but, when exasperated Bunthorne challenges Grosvenor to give up the current aesthetic craze, he does so willingly - and everything backfires. Being common becomes the new celebrity, and all the ladies choose their old sweethearts, including Patience - proving after all, that every generation has its own temporary insanity!

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Review: MISS HOLMES at David S. & Anne V. Howard Studio Theatre
by Carolan Trbovich - Nov 21, 2022

What did our critic think of MISS HOLMES at David S. & Anne V. Howard Studio Theatre?

Review: PATIENCE, Wilton's Music Hall
by Michael Higgs - Aug 25, 2022

Ever since its first production in 1881, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience has brought its audiences to tears of laughter, and this production by Charles Court Opera is no exception.

BWW Review: The Phantom Stages A Comeback in LOVE NEVER DIES at Segerstrom Center
by Michael Quintos - May 1, 2018

There are many, very obvious spectacular things that stand out while watching LOVE NEVER DIES, Andrew Lloyd Webber's infamously, uh, troubled 2010 musical follow-up to his long-running global hit THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, now continuing its two-week engagement at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa through May 5, 2018. While, sure, the show is stunning in its visual artistry and musical performances, the rest is repetitively frustrating. Unless you're a huge PHANTOM fan already or are perhaps maybe morbidly curious as to what the fuss is all about---LOVE NEVER DIES, sadly, doesn't offer much else to audiences beyond its superficial surface beauty.

Odyssey Opera Performs Rare Gilbert & Sullivan Work 6/2-3
by A.A. Cristi - May 19, 2017

Described as “one of the East Coast's most exciting and best opera companies (The Arts Fuse),” Odyssey Opera completes its Wilde Opera Nights series, a season-long exploration of operatic works inspired by the writings and world of Oscar Wilde. For two nights, Odyssey Opera presents a fully-staged performance of Arthur Sullivan and W.S. Gilbert's early hit, Patience; or, Bunthorne's Bride (1881). Inspired by the aesthetes of Victorian England of the late 1800s, this two-act comic opera delves into the world that Wilde skewered with his pen. Directed by Frank Kelley, with conductor Gil Rose and full orchestra and chorus, Patience welcomes back several Odyssey Opera alumni to the stage including Aaron Engrebreth (baritone) as Reginald Bunthorne and Sara Heaton (soprano) as Patience. 

Odyssey Opera to Present Rare, Oscar Wilde-Inspired Gilbert & Sullivan Work
by BWW News Desk - May 2, 2017

Described as 'one of the East Coast's most exciting and best opera companies (The Arts Fuse),' Odyssey Opera completes its Wilde Opera Nights series, a season-long exploration of operatic works inspired by the writings and world of Oscar Wilde.

English Touring Opera Brings PATIENCE and TOSCA to Marlowe Theatre
by BWW News Desk - Apr 28, 2017

English Touring Opera bring their first Gilbert and Sullivan production to The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, next month (May), along with a Puccini favourite.

BWW Review: PATIENCE, Hackney Empire
by Alexandra Coghlan - Mar 9, 2017

'What a very singularly deep young man that deep young man must be!' You don't have to look very far in selfie-taking 2017 for an equivalent to the narcissism and aestheticism that are so thoroughly sent up in Gilbert and Sullivan's 1881 Patience. So perhaps it's best that director Liam Steel has left all that to look after itself, and instead of a topical satire has produced an unapologetic period romp, with just a few too many smutty moments for complete comfort.

English Touring Opera Announces 2017 Spring Season
by Molly Tracy - Feb 15, 2017

English Touring Opera's Spring 2017 season features the company's first ever Gilbert & Sullivan production, a Puccini favourite marking the opera debut of stage director Blanche McIntyre, and two new operas for young people:Silver Electra and Different.

Finborough Theatre to Present PRINCESS IDA, Beginning 24 March
by Tyler Peterson - Mar 2, 2015

The Finborough Theatre's acclaimed Celebrating British Music Theatre series continues with the first professional London production in over twenty years of Gilbert and Sullivan's Princess Ida opening at the Finborough Theatre for a four week limited season on Tuesday, 24 March 2015 (Press Night: Thursday, 26 March 2015 at 7.30pm).

Lincoln Center Festival and Park Avenue Armory to Present Weinberg's THE PASSENGER, July 2014
by BWW News Desk - Nov 25, 2013

Nigel Redden, director of the Lincoln Center Festival, and Rebecca Robertson, President and Executive Producer, Park Avenue Armory, today announced that the two organizations will co-present The Passenger, Mieczyslaw Weinberg's uncompromising 1968 opera about the Holocaust, performed by Houston Grand Opera and directed by David Pountney, in its New York premiere performances July 10, 12 and 13 at Lincoln Center Festival 2014. Pountney's production will have its U.S. premiere on January 18, 2014 at Houston Grand Opera.

Theater at Monmouth Presents Gilbert & Sullivan's PATIENCE Tonight
by BWW News Desk - Sep 20, 2013

Theater at Monmouth's 44th season continues with the opening of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera, Patience, or Bunthorne's Bride today, September 20 at 7:30 p.m. The society ladies in the village are mad for aesthetic poets but the poets are in love with Patience, the village milkmaid. The young ladies' military suitors see no point to overblown verses but give it a try to win back the ladies' hearts. Things are touch and go for a while but in the end everyone lands a suitable partner, even if it is only a tulip or lily.

Theater at Monmouth to Present Gilbert & Sullivan's PATIENCE, 9/20
by Tyler Peterson - Aug 9, 2013

Theater at Monmouth's 44th season continues with the opening of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera, Patience, or Bunthorne's Bride on Friday, September 20 at 7:30 p.m. The society ladies in the village are mad for aesthetic poets but the poets are in love with Patience, the village milkmaid. The young ladies' military suitors see no point to overblown verses but give it a try to win back the ladies' hearts. Things are touch and go for a while but in the end everyone lands a suitable partner, even if it is only a tulip or lily.

The Finborough Theatre Presents Gilbert and Sullivan's THE GRAND DUKE,
by Harmony Wheeler - Mar 13, 2012

The New Actors Company in association with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre presents THE GRAND DUKE. The Finborough Theatre's 'Celebrating British Music Theatre' series continues with the first fully staged professional UK production of Gilbert and Sullivan's final operetta, The Grand Duke, since the original 1896 production. It opens at the Finborough Theatre for a strictly limited run of six Sundays and Mondays from Sunday, 1 April 2012.

Michael Ball will Star in Patience at New York City Opera
by BWW News Desk - May 16, 2005

West End leading man Michael Ball will make his New York City Opera Debut on September 10th in Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience

Patience FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the songs are in Patience and what's the order?
Twenty love-sick maidens we
Still brooding on their mad infatuation
I cannot tell what this love may be
The Soldiers of our Queen
If you want a receipt for that popular mystery
In a doleful train two and two we walk all day
When I first put this uniform on
Am I alone and unobserved?
If you're anxious for to shine
Long years ago--fourteen, maybe
Prithee, pretty maiden--prithee
Though to marry you
Let the merry cymbals sound
Now tell us, we pray you
Heart broken at my Patience's barbarity
Stay, we implore you, before our hopes are blighted
Your maiden hearts, ah, do steel
Come, walk up, and purchase with avidity
We've been thrown over, we're aware
And are you going a ticket to buy?
Hold! Stay your hand!
True love must single-hearted be
I hear the soft note of the echoing voice
But who is this, whose god-like grace
List Reginald, whilst I confess a love
On such eyes as maidens cherish
Sad is that woman's lot who, year by year
Silvered is the raven hair
Turn, oh turn in this direction
A Magnet hung in a hardware shop
Love is a plaintive song
So go to him and say to him
It's clear that the mediaeval art
If Saphir I choose to marry
When I go out of door
I'm a Waterloo House young man
After much debate internal, I on Lady Jane decide
What productions of Patience have there been?
Patience has had 27 productions including Broadway which opened in 1900, Broadway which opened in 1900, Broadway which opened in 1912, Broadway which opened in 1912, Broadway which opened in 1918, Broadway which opened in 1918, Broadway which opened in 1924, Broadway which opened in 1924, Broadway which opened in 1927, Broadway which opened in 1927, Broadway which opened in 1928, Broadway which opened in 1928, Broadway which opened in 1931, Broadway which opened in 1931, Broadway which opened in 1934, Broadway which opened in 1934, Broadway which opened in 1936, Broadway which opened in 1936, Broadway which opened in 1939, Broadway which opened in 1939, Broadway which opened in 1944, Broadway which opened in 1944, Broadway which opened in 1948, Broadway which opened in 1948, Off-Broadway which opened in 1986, Off-Broadway which opened in 2005 and Off-Broadway which opened in 2022.

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