Overview
Synopsis
Can you sue someone for breaking off an engagement? In Gilbert and Sullivan’s courtroom farce Trial by Jury, it’s a very serious crime! The fickle and bigoted defendant, Edwin, has fallen in love with another woman and has jilted the plaintiff, the beautiful Angelina. Unfortunately for Edwin, all of the members of the jury (and the judge) have fallen for Angelina themselves. Edwin proposes that in order to solve the conflict, he “marry this lady today and the other tomorrow,” which, naturally, Angelina objects to. Ultimately, the resolution that pleases everyone is for the judge to marry Angelina himself! This delightfully ludicrous one-act was initially written as a companion piece to Offenbach’s comic opera La Périchole, but quickly outran it in popularity and critical praise. It is often performed as a double or triple bill with other comic pieces, but it just as often performed alone. Hailed by theatre scholar Kurt Gänzl as "probably the most successful British one-act operetta of all time,” Trial by Jury is a bite-sized portion of Gilbert and Sullivan’s signature witty lyrics, catchy tunes, and ridiculous plotlines.
A note on dialogue: Unlike most Gilbert and Sullivan shows, there is no spoken dialogue in Trial by Jury. Still, the music is generally sung in a British dialect.
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Context
Trial by Jury premiered in 1875, at a time when the London stage was hungry for comic entertainment and light operatic works. The partnership between librettist W. S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan had only recently begun, and this was their first major success together. Originally conceived as a short afterpiece to Offenbach’s operetta La Périchole, Trial by Jury quickly proved far more popular than the work it accompanied, winning over audiences with its sharp satire of the
to read the context for Trial by Jury and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
The operetta opens in a courtroom, where the Chorus of Jurymen gathers, introducing the setting and expressing their excitement about judging such a sensational case (“Hark, the hour of ten is sounding”). They are joined by the Plaintiff’s bridesmaids, who gossip about the trial. The Usher then sternly reminds the jurors of their duty, instructing them to set aside bias and behave properly (“Now, Jurymen, hear my advice”).
The Plaintiff, a young woman who has been jilted, makes a dramatic
to read the plot for Trial by Jury and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
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Character Portrayals
See StageAgent members who have performed roles in Trial by Jury.
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Songs
Showing 8 of 15 songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number.
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
THEMES
Justice and Corruption
At its heart, the operetta is a satire of the English legal system, showing how justice is easily undermined by vanity, bias, and self-interest. The Judge openly admits to having once committed the same offense as the Defendant, yet he presides over the trial without shame. The jurymen are swayed not by evidence but by sentiment, the pleadings of counsel, and the attractiveness of the Plaintiff. Ultimately, justice is not served—the Judge’s “verdict” is
to read about the themes, symbols and motifs from Trial by Jury and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Quote Analysis
“When I, good friends, was called to the Bar, I’d an appetite fresh and hearty.”
(The Learned Judge)
This opening line from the Judge’s patter song introduces him as a character who is proud of his own rise to prominence. Delivered with jaunty rhythm and comic self-satisfaction, it immediately sets the tone for his role as a parody of judicial authority. Instead of establishing his impartiality or dignity, the Judge launches into a personal anecdote, boasting about his success.
The humor
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