Most people know W.S. Gilbert as the writer of comic operas such as 'The Mikado' and 'H.M.S.Pinafore' with Arthur Sullivan. But there was far more to his life and work than that. He was a prolific playwright, a writer of humorous verse including the 'Bab Ballads', a gifted artist and a theatre director who helped to revolutionise the way plays were produced onstage.

In this series of programmes to mark the centenary of his death, the writer and poet Ruth Padel explores five aspects of Gilbert's work and evaluates his significance and his legacy. Key contributors include the director Mike Leigh whose movie 'Topsy-Turvy' depicts the relationship between Gilbert and Sullivan, as well as biographers, academics and performers such as Alistair McGowan who has performed and directed Gilbert and Sullivan operas and the singer Richard Suart who recently performed in 'The Mikado' at English National Opera.

Programme 1 examines Gilbert the man of contradictions. His photographs show a conventional-looking Victorian gentleman but was that completely true? Ruth explores the theory that underneath lay a desire to turn things topsy-turvy, which would provide him with a recurrent plot in his plays.

Producer: Emma Kingsley. Show less