The Pirates of Penzance

Having performed the role of "Ruth" at secondary school, I have many fond memories of "The PoP". This hysterical Australian version of the operetta had me laughing aloud. How wonderful to see the art of Gilbert and Sullivan brought forward around 100 years! The jokes, the facial expressions, the modernisms, the tempo and lyric changes, the movement... all done to entertain. My classical musician husband also watched and thoroughly enjoyed the humour and theatricals. My young children watched, sang along and laughed - consider the effect a Victorian operetta would normally have on 3 kids more interested in SpongeBob and Yu-Gi-O?! Days later they were still singing away. The adaptation works for me. But I'm not a purist. I like to have a bit of fun and colour in my life, I appreciate good singing (being trained myself) and I see no reason why I should drag my kids into Victorian times when it can travel towards us!

I love 'The Pirates of Penzance'! Jon English, Simon Gallaher and Derek Metzger are all fantastic as their respective characters. My favourite person in this is Helen Donaldson, who is an absolutely adorable Mabel. Her voice is lovely and she hits every high note. She looks like a 10-year-old in 'When the Foeman Bares His Steel' though! Essgee have done a great job in updating a G&S show and I admit its not one for purists! Toni Lamond, the first woman to ever appear on Australian television, is a very sad, yet funny (!), Ruth. All of the songs in it are fantastic, even if they are all performed on synthesisers. Gallaher's rendition of 'Oh Is There Not One Maiden Here' is very sweet and heart-melting. Donaldson's 'Poor Wandering One' is AMAZING! Her coloratura is very well done. English's comic timing is great, especially 'Dear Pirate King I love your purple pants...' and he performs well with the other cast members, especially Toni Lamond, Helen Donaldson and Simon Gallaher. Any fan of musicals, especially Australian, should see this!

I only caught part of this show (from the Major General's entrance) on a recent showing on Sky TV in the UK and it restored my faith that G&S can be adapted with sensitivity for new audiences. I thought Jon English turned in a superb performance as the Pirate King and the comic scenes were played for all they were worth without (mostly) becoming unfunny. Choregoraphy - especially with the police in the second act was first class. A couple of minor quibbles - not sure why it was necessary to bring in the trio from Ruddigore - it seems fashionable these days to "cross-dress" so to speak and although this actually worked quite well it wasn't really necessary. The Swinglettes as a take off of the Andrews Sisters was superb but unfortunately it also meant that Edith was hardly distinguishable from the rest of the daughters when she has a decent part in the original score. Minor points, though, you could hear the audience absolutely loving it and it kept far enough on the traditional side of the line without being stuffy - Gilbert may have shuffled uncomfortably in his grave but he would not, I think, have turned right over. Well done all - even if it was thirteen years ago! Jonathon Clark, London

I caught up with this wonderful production via Sky arts, a few months ago and simply had to buy the DVD. what a joy.Played , I am sure with tongue very firmly in cheek. Such energy and enthusiasm from all the cast.Jon English, has spoilt the role of 'Pirate King' for me, I just cannot see anyone doing it better, and I love the purple pants. His interaction with the audience was spot on and very funny. The Major General played by Derek Metzger,was excellent, with brilliant comic timing,and I could hear every word in his patter song! Tim Tyler, as the 'Police Sergeant', had to be seen to be believed, surely he was made of rubber, and not a bad singing voice. 'Ruth', as played by Toni Lamont, the only cast member with a strong Australian accent, was very sympathetic, I felt for her, and would have given Frederic more that a bash on the backside. I even enjoyed her corpsing in Act II.The chorus of daughters, were very funny, almost but not quite upstaging the principals. 'Mabel', Helen Donaldson, looked as fragile as a China doll, with a beautiful soprano voice, trilling away in 'Poor wandering one'. Simon Gallaher as 'Frederic' was simply superb, a wonderful tenor voice with amazing breath control, how long was that note!!(he also produced the show.) My granddaughters of Ten and Seven,also adore this show and demand to view it at every visit, not bad for good old G&S.

Though nothing in the credits mentions it, this production is obviously based on the Tony-winning 1980 Joseph Papp Shakespeare in the Park production, which starred Kevin Kline and Linda Rondstadt and was a massive hit on Broadway and later in the West End in London. Eventually it was redone as a film which was very entertaining but lacked too much of the excitement of live stage.

Fortunately, someone decided to tape a live performance of this newer version, capturing much more of the energy and audience response which was missing from the earlier film. What makes both versions special is the approach to the original material. Too many G&S productions are stodgy, treating the music as sacrosanct and the humor as too dated to get a laugh. Here every bit of silliness in the script is brushed off and made funny again. The "orphan/often" misunderstanding early in the play has been cut from most productions for decades by directors who didn't have a clue how funny it could be if performed as high comedy. There are dozens of other similar moments in this production, which never for an instant lets the audience forget that this is a COMIC opera.

At the same time, it is a comic OPERA, with some of Sir Arthur Sullivan's most beautiful melodies. Helen Donaldson as Mabel and Simon Gallaher as Frederick particularly have lovely voices and sing their romantic songs beautifully.

I do feel that this production is frequently over the top in milking the humor, but that is one of the intrinsic problems of filmed live performances, and the audience was clearly having a great time enjoying the antics of Jon English. And Tim Tyler as the police sergeant is incredible. A cross between a Keystone Kop and a very long rubber band, he steals every scene he is in.

G&S purists generally dislike updated productions, but for the rest of us, this production is a treat.