What perfect timing. Just as Tony Blair abolishes the role of Lord Chancellor, we have the classic operatic celebration of that post in Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe. Janis Kelly's witty production of Iolanthe is arguably the most finely crafted of the Gilbert and Sullivan canon, with the Mendelssohnian subtlety of Sullivan's orchestration a delight from the overture onwards under Robert Dean.
The updating, with costumes and sets by Francis O'Connor, gives the chorus of fairies combat suits, while their fairy pool is neatly represented by the elaborate revolving stage. The Queen of the Fairies (Stephen Wallace) emerges from it dressed as a sergeant-major, snorting in fury until turned into a jelly of adoration in act two at the sight of Sergeant Willis (Richard Angas).
The chorus of peers appear as members of the Countryside Alliance, before they don their coronets and robes in the final scenes. Strephon is an engaging country bumpkin in wellies, with his beloved Phyllis dressed for the office. Gilbert's text has also been modified by Ian Hislop. Jeremy Carpenter as Strephon, Mary Hegarty as Phyllis and Ruth Peel as a glamorous Iolanthe all admirably bring out the musical finesse of the writing. Richard Suart makes the ideal Lord Chancellor.
Following Iolanthe comes another sure-fire winner in Puccini's La Bohème, set in a bleak, postwar Paris. The Grange Park revolving stage represents the Bohemians' attic, the front of the Cafe Momus and, in act three, a doubtful pub.
In Dominic Cooke's production, this is the act that, with Stephen Barlow pacing the music beautifully, packs the biggest emotional punch. The diminutive Mimi, Anne-Sophie Duprels, at once tender and powerful, is set against John Hudson's heavily conventional Rodolfo. Best of all is Mark Stone, splendid as Marcello, violently jealous in act two, and deeply affecting in the act-three duet with Mimi, before quarrelling bitterly with the showy Musetta of Elena Ferrari.
· Iolanthe is in rep until July 9, and La Bohème until July 10. Box office: 020-7320 5408.
