Tickets for Iolanthe ENO season are available now! 

Blending romance, humour, political satire, and soaring musical numbers - Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic operetta Iolanthe has been enchanting audiences since its 1882 premiere.

The first of its kind to be equipped with electric lights, the show presents a topsy-turvy worldview. The plot revolves around Iolanthe, a fairy who has been banished from the fairy kingdom for marrying a mortal. The fairy world and the world of Parliament are turned upside down, as members of the fairy court fall for members of the British House of Peers! 

If you enjoy fantastical and witty operettas with a touch of political commentary, Iolanthe is the show for you. Book your tickets today to witness this clash between the worlds of mortals and fairies at the London Coliseum for the 2023 ENO season!

About Iolanthe

Phyllis and Strephon are a half-man, half-fairy couple who wish to marry, but as Phyllis is a ward of the court, she must receive the Lord Chancellor’s permission. But that’s not the only problem - the Lord Chancellor wants her all for himself.

Sullivan’s ever-melodious score matches Gilbert’s libretto in satirising the vanities and egos of the peers of the realm. For good measure, Lolanthe targets the toxicity of celebrity culture. With thinly disguised portraits of the good and the great of late Victorian society, there are sideswipes at Queen Victoria, John Brown (her personal servant and ‘close companion’), Lord Randolph Churchill (reformist Tory) and William Gladstone (the serving Liberal PM).

The creatives of Iolanthe

Cal McCrystal returns to direct this production, bringing his characteristic joyfully chaotic physical comedy, irreverence and brilliant wordplay. Former ENO Harewood Artist Samantha Price leads a cast of ENO favourites, including baritone Marcus Farnsworth as Strephon.

The cast is completed by Samantha Price as Iolanthe, Ellie Laugharne as Phyllis, Catherine Wyn-Rogers as Queen of the Fairies, Marcus Farnsworth as Strephon, John Savournin as Lord Chancellor, Ben McAteer as Mountaratat, Ruairi Bowen as Earl Tolloller, Keel Watson as Private Willis, Llio Evans as Celi and many more!

Iolanthe tickets are available now!

Iolanthe is a masterful showcase in the trademark style of Gilbert and Sullivan. The operetta explores themes of love, duty, class, and the absurdity of societal norms. For a glorious night of mayhem, madness and misunderstandings, witness Iolathe in all of its 21st-century glory. Book your tickets now for the spectacular ENO season!