Interestingly, the intro to the Policeman's Chorus was (inadvertently?) cribbed in part from a song from Offenbach's 'La Perichole' (1868) - can't just remember which song... Sullivan probably didn't do it on purpose, but Gilbert was so much on the last minute with the libretto for every operetta that Sullivan probably had to cut a few corners. It is well documented that G&S drew some of their inspiration from Offenbach.

Certainly D'Oyly Carte would usually go on stage for an opening night hopelessly under-rehearsed, with the words concealed in hats, umbrellas, anything they could use!

I still have the score from 'La Perichole' somewhere, along with Pirates, Princess Ida, Trial By Jury and The Gondoliers... I played the part of the Gondolier in 'La Perichole' in a local production some 35 years ago! My 'big song' was 'Come, Heart's Delight' as I recall. Only a couple of years earlier I'd played Marco, one of the G&S Gondoliers! Typecast?!