The Pirates of Penzance

Pirates of Penzance is my personal favourite Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, though I have a big soft spot for them all. The story may be somewhat silly, but the humour is infectiously witty and the music is amazing. This Pirates of Penzance is one of the better ones I've seen, no surprises considering it is from Opera Australia, responsible for the best Trial By Jury on DVD and equally enormously enjoyable productions of HMS Pinafore, Patience and The Gondoliers. In terms of costumes and sets it is a very colourful and creative production visually, and while there are too many close-ups of Anthony Warlow the video directing captures the action very well. The staging is full of crisp energy with never a dull moment, many times without feeling too overdone it is continually moving. The orchestral playing is very robust and the conducting keeps the pace impeccably, the omission of the Overture is a disappointment but not enough to hamper the performance hugely. The performances are great fun. Anthony Warlow I have always considered a terrific singing actor, and here as the Pirate King is no exception. Channelling Captain Jack Sparrow perfectly, he shows a beautiful baritone voice and acts with swagger and appealing eccentricity. I don't think there is a better Police Sergeant on DVD than Richard Alexander, his facial expressions and body language are just priceless and he is note-perfect vocally. John Bolton-Wood's Major General is done with such gusto and comic timing that he is a breath of fresh air to watch, and he handles the difficult pattering very well. David Hobson still has that lovely honeyed lyric tone to his voice, and his Fredric is positively charming, while Taryn Fiebig's Mabel complete with dazzling colouratura is the same. Suzanne Johnson is sympathetic and funny as Ruth and Andrew Brunsden is a strong Samuel. The sisters are alluring, the pirates energetic and the policemen hilarious. The ensembles are well put together and well-tuned. In conclusion, I loved the energy and performances, this Pirates of Penzance is a jewel. 10/10 Bethany Cox

What can be said about the Pirates of Penzance? Catchy lyrics, hilarious story lines and some of Sullavin's best music, this show is a delight! I was lucky enough to see this wonderful production live and I loved it, and so I went and bought the DVD. Of course, nothing can really compare to the live version, but it as a truly great DVD and a joy to watch. The scenery was original, interesting and funny, the costumes superb, and Warlow's take-off of Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean)was amazingly good. All the singers were amazing, and gave their characters their own touch. The orchestra matched the singing for quality and beauty, and it didn't have that awful Australian habit of drowning out the actors.

I love it how they kept so true to the original ideas, yet added a few little comments about P&Os and the like without going overboard and making a mockery of the show. Adding in "My Eyes Are Fully Open" (originally from the G&S "Ruddigore") was a risk, but it was fully paid off. It shows amazing teamwork between Warlow, Hobson and Johnston, and I'm sure most people sit there with their mouths open at the sheer speed at which they manage to sing! The Pirates of Penzance is suitable for anyone: young or old, opera-loving or opera-illiterate.

Actors: Anthony Warlow, David Hobson, John Baton-wood, Susanne Johnston, Taryn Fiebig.

First, the stage setting is quite small and sparse for a Gilbert and Sullivan play. The costumes are too improved. The actors mostly mumble their parts. I was surprised to find that even the "Modern Major General" was mumbled. I know that this is Australian but the whole entourage could use some elocution lessons.

The advantage of a live play is that you can insert local or contemporary jokes. They may be local and contemporary for the Australian audience; however, they were just annoying and distracting by the time they got to the US.

Moreover, the whole Jonney Depp (Jack Sparrow) portrait by Anthony Warlow is so contrived as to lose the original character of the play. David Hobson (46 years old at the time) was excessively ancient and decrepit to play a 21-Year-Old.

I only watched the Blu-ray version so I cannot compare. But you could see David Hobson's age. The sets were crisp and colorful. The DVD and Blu-ray have a lack of extras.

A good addition to your pirate collection is "The Pirates of Penzance; in Full Score" ISBN-13: 978-0486418919.