Topsy-Turvy casts the spotlight upon the creative partnership of William Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, responsible for such classic operettas as The Pirates of Penzance.After ten consecutive smash hits, Gilbert and Sullivan have a flop on their hands and begin to question the very process that has afforded them a decade of success. Sullivan (Allan Corduner) thinks Gilbert's story lines have become formulaic and a creative deadlock is reached. But when Gilbert (Jim Broadbent) visits a Japanese culture exhibition he is struck with inspiration and the pair re-unite to create The Mikado, a huge hit.Throughout Topsy-Turvy are woven insights into the lives not only of the complex Gilbert, childless but married to a devoted wife, and the bon-viveur, brothel-visiting Sullivan and his American mistress, but also the working actors, actresses, chorus, musicians and costumiers of the Savoy Theatre, and of D'Oyly Carte and his team.Colourful, fully staged extracts from the shows are interspersed throughout the film, which explodes with Sullivan's infectious music.