W.S. Gilbert Society

for the understanding and appreciation of all aspects of the life and work of the libretto, dramatist, cartoonist, director, and wit W.S. Gilbert (1836-1911)

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

Alfred Cellier was born #OTD 1844: celebrate with the magnificent new recording of Cellier & Gilbert's Mountebanks https://t.co/AkCxyUYogi

[Berthold Gambrel @BertholdGambrel]

Happy birthday to Sir William S. Gilbert, born on this day in 1836. Do something in his honor today. Eat a lozenge that magically reverses the social order! Rhyme 'duty' with 'beauty'! Or see if you can find any hypocrisy or foolishness among public figures and institutions!

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

The magnificent new recording of Gilbert & Cellier's The Mountebanks, with the BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Singers, & great cast, is now available https://t.co/AkCxyUYogi

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

"This liquid...has the effect of making every one who drinks it exactly what he pretends to be." What could possibly go wrong? #TheMountebanks

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

And that concludes the W S Gilbert Society's tweeting of the original "Trial By Jury", published 150 years ago today #TrialByJuryDay

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

Fun Fact no.4: If it was decided to copy Gilbert's "Bab" illustrations in staging the opera, the Judge would probably break his neck.

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

"Place your briefs upon the shelf
I will marry her myself!"
#TrialByJuryDay

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

... which means these were the *earliest* of Gilbert's lyrics to be set to music by Sullivan (though Sullivan didn't do so till 1875)

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

"With a sense of deep emotion..." #TrialByJuryDay

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

Fun Fact no.3: This lyric, like "Hark, the hour of ten is sounding", was carried over intact to the later stage version....

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

"Silence in court, and all attention lend!" #TrialByJuryDay

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

Making fun of barristers was one of Gilbert's stock subjects in Fun and elsewhere. This one's from Fun (16 May 1862):

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

"Singing so merrily Trial-la-law!" #TrialByJuryDay

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

Fun Fact no.2: Gilbert had been a practising barrister, but by this time he'd given it up because writing paid him better.

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

... and even in later years Fun sometimes published "Edwin and Angelina" cartoons

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

"Hark! The hour of ten is sounding"... #TrialByJuryDay

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

Fun Fact no.1: in 1862, Fun published a series of "Letters from a Young Married Lady" by Angelina, wife of Edwin

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

So to celebrate #TrialByJuryDay, we will tweet the original Trial by Jury in full, with perhaps the occasional Fun Fact on the way.

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

Today is the 150th anniversary of the publication of the 1st version of Gilbert's "Trial by Jury" in "Fun" (8 April 1868) #TrialByJuryDay

[W.S. Gilbert Society @GilbertSociety]

This issue of "Fun" was dated 11 April 1868 (Saturday) but it was *published* on the Wednesday, 8 April 1868.