"One gentleman is absent through illness, sir."
"Ah!" said Gilbert, perfectly seriously, "that is not the gentleman I am referring to."
Yet another instance. The second act of The Pirates of Penzance represents the interior of a ruined abbey by moonlight. Near the end of the play General Stanley's daughters run on to the stage in peignoir and with lighted candles. This is the cue for turning up the footlights and boarders.
Mr. Gilbert (from the stalls): Mr. Seymour—Mr. Seymour!
Seymour (the stage manager, appearing at the wings): Yes, sir.
Mr. Gilbert: Don't let them turn the lights on the back cloth!
Seymour: We have turned up all the lights, sir.
Mr. Gilbert: Then don't do so. As much light in the front as you like. Candles on the stage have a wonderful effect, I know. They would light up the abbey, no doubt; but even stage candles wouldn't light up the heavens beyond.
A great objection was taken, both by the press and a large section of the public, to the title of Ruddygore, and the opera itself was not favourably criticised. About a week after its production, Gilbert turned up at the Savoy and said:
"I propose altering the title of the piece, and calling it Kensington Gore; or, Not so Good as The Mikado."