The G&S "bits" are all part of the fun, but it's tough to learn them. My daughter's college did "Pinafore", and the fellow who was playing Sir Joseph couldn't handle "When I Was a Lad" . . . so they CUT it! The WHOLE thing! Horrible!
I ragged him for it afterwards - and sang the entire first verse from memory, just to show! (I am an all-purpose alto, second soprano, first tenor and, in emergencies, a light baritone. Not a big voice, did not inherit that from either parent, but I can sight sing any darn thing.)
The college really did a good job, patter singers don't grow on every bush, but that is really a highlight . . .
If you ever get to see “The Magic Flute” in Hans Wolf’s English translation, it’s hilarious. The gags still work after 200 years. I laughed so hard that I was in pain.
The GU&S "bits" aren't difficult at all to learn ( except for the "broken toe" one ) and I had them all down pat, before I turned the tender age of 6! I still can't help myself ( especially when I hear/see THE MIKADO ), I do them all for real, or in my head still. The fan twirlings I do just with my hand, since I was only ever to use the fan that was "lent" to my mother, ONCE ( okay, okay, I was all of 5 and 3/4 at the time and she carefully explained that NOTHING could be done, by me, to harm it! ), by the costume department of NBC. But I did get the hand motions down pat! ;^)
How can they cut WHEN I WAS A LAD? That's an OUTRAGE! :-( It isn't even one of the fastest nor complicated ones. What kind of an idiot kid couldn't handle it? YIKES!
My prompting "whisper" can be heard in the third row of seats, sadly....but that'll give you some idea of how much "projection" my voice has. LOL
No, singers of "patter songs" don't grow on trees; it just takes a LOT of practice. :-)
The NIGHTMARE SONG from IOLANTHE is one of THE most difficult to pull off, IMO.
Have you ever seen or heard the score from the Broadway play BARNUM?
There are a couple of patter songs in it and one even is SO Gilbertian, it's shocking. Oh hell...it might even be MORE difficult to sing/do than anything G&S turned out. :-)