A joyful romp from beginning to end
Presented by: State Opera South Australia
Reviewed: 11 May, 2023
The audience at the opening night of The Pirates of Penzance at Her Majesty’s Theatre was ready for a good night out. Pirates, as it is affectionately known, is an integral part of the G&S Fest which Stuart Maunder has gifted to Adelaide to cheer us up at the beginning of winter. The buzz in the foyer was excited and the theatre came alive with anticipation , even before the doors were open.
This is a classy piece of Gilbert & Sullivan. Director Stuart Maunder has guided and cajoled some fine performances out of this old classic, and breathed some fresh air into it. Not an easy task, but this accomplished company of singers gave this new production all the value of the traditional G&S and then some. There are cheeky performances from the minute the curtain was raised that brought smiles, chuckles and belly laughs from a theatre full of old, and I think a few new, G&S fans. Pirates is one of those G&S pieces that doesn’t have a dud tune in it and you are swung from number to number with ease and clarity. It is a really excellent example of G&S at their best as writer and composer.
Ben Mingay’s Pirate King is a swashbuckling, camp delight. He doesn’t miss a trick and entertains from the moment he steps on stage. Aided and abetted by Antoinette Halloran as Ruth, these two gifted singers prove they can act too. They are a comic delight throughout.
John Longmuir’s Fredrick was pitched at just the right level and he found all the nuances in his glorious interpretations of all those old favourites that everyone wants to sing along to, if only they had a voice like his. He is one of those tenors who can ping a note perfectly at ten paces and take your breath away. Desiree Frahn’s Mabel is pure delight as well. She knows just how to get all the very best out of this character both vocally and physically, and has just the right amount of naughty to make it nice. Longmuir and Frahn work really well together and their duets are a highlight.
Douglas McNicol is a really seasoned performer and his Scottish Major General was another moment to show off the snappy writing of G&S… and boy did he make the most of it. His daughters were musically engaging, theatrically pleasing, beautifully dressed, and made the most of every moment they were on stage. Light on their feet, musically adept and pretty as a picture.
Cherie Boogaart’s Edith was comic and sharp, Rachel McCall’s Kate whimsically vague and Jessica Mills’ Isabel was fun and just a little bit camp/coy. Samuel is one of those roles that is integral to the plot and thankless for the singer. Nicholas Cannon gave his Samuel a bit of life and zip, which made him stand out. Jeremy Kleeman’s Sergeant of police was articulate and engaging and he led his troupe of not-so-zealous, and very amusing, policemen with just the right amount of pretend the character needs.
The male ensemble worked their little tushes off from the minute they walked on stage. They were pirates, policemen, set change experts and everything in between. They were funny, energetic and downright brilliant. The male and female chorus are the workhorse of the show, and boy did they do a fine job.
For G&S aficionados there were many musical highlights, in fact the whole show was a musical highlight. Anthony Hunt as conductor runs a very tight ship. He led the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and singers with an assured baton that didn’t leave anything to chance but gave the singers the scope for individual interpretation. The sound balance was excellent and I didn’t miss a word all night – well almost didn’t miss a word. It doesn’t really matter was so fast my brain couldn’t catch up – well done, everyone involved.
Set designer Richard Roberts has designed an exquisite set peppered with moving parts that make the scene changes a joy to watch. The trees, genius; the tombstones, more genius; the star cloth and the full moon, even more genius. The set showed Roger Kirk’s costumes to their full Victorian advantage. Extravagant, colourful, practical but never dull. The costumes were an added bonus to this celebration of G&S. Elizabeth Hall-Cooper’s choreography (reproduced in the rehearsal room by Anna Tsirigotis) was a joyful romp while Trudy Dalgleish’s lighting design brought the whole landscape to life.
What a joyful night in the theatre. Thank you, Mr Maunder; we need more Gilbert and Sullivan in our lives.
Reviewed by Adrian Barnes
Photo credit: Frankie The Creative
Venue: Her Majesty’s Theatre
Season: 11th, 17th, 18th, 20th May at 7.30 13th May at 2.00pm
Duration: 2 hrs 10mins including interval
Tickets:
Premium: $140
A Reserve: $110, Conc $99, Child 3-17yo $30
B Reserve: $90, Conc $81, Family (2 adults + 2 children) $219, Child 3-17yo $30
C Reserve: $71, Conc $62, Family (2 adults + 2 children) $186, Child 3-17yo $30
Bookings: https://gandsfest.com/event/pirates-of-penzance/
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