Pirates of Penzance

Our show for 2008 was The Pirates of Penzance, and took place in Ipswich Corn Exchange from November 12-15. For this show we combined the talents of our existing Musical Director, Andrew Burke, with a Director new to us - Brian Robinson.

Prior to the performance we had some publicity photos taken at the Royal Harwich Yacht Club.

The video evening (when the cast can see what the show looked like) will be on Friday December 19th.

Pirates of Penzance - the show

Pirates opens with the Pirates of Penzance ashore in Cornwall. Their apprentice, Frederic, is about to become 21 years old, and at that point his apprenticeship ends. He tells his colleagues that he hates the life they lead and is therefore leaving them. His ex-nursemaid, Ruth, decides to leave with him. Fred is less keen on this idea, since a) it was Ruth's fault he is apprenticed to the Pirates - she was supposed to take him to a Pilot, but misheard the instruction, and b) he suspects she may not be as beautiful as she claims.

As the Pirates head off, Fred remains behind and is astounded to see a "bevy of beautiful maidens" exploring the same spot. They are sisters, all daughters of Major-General Stanley. Frederick is besotted and begs one of them (any of them) to marry him. One of them (Mabel) agrees, but before they can all make off, the pirates reappear and capture the other maidens, intending to marry them all.

General Stanley arrives to see what's going on, and is appalled to discover the Pirates' plan. He knows them by reputation, but also knows they have a soft spot for orphans, since they are "orphans themselves, and know what it is". He therefore claims that he, too, is an orphan. Hearing this, the pirates give up their matrimonial ambitions.

The General is wracked with guilt about his lie, and so decides that, instead of claiming to be an orphan, he'll enlist the help of the Police to save him. At this point, the King and Ruth reappear, to give Fred some bad news. Despite that fact that he has lived for 21 years, he has only had five birthdays, since he was born on February 29th. He'll have to wait until 1940 for his 21st birthday, and only then will he be free from the Pirates.

Suddenly the Police arrive to try to save the maidens from the pirates' evil intentions and, unsurprisingly, are routed. It looks like all will end badly, Fred stuck with his hated comrades and the maidens forced to marry against their will. Fortunately, like all good G&S stories, all ends happily ever after. But I won't spoil the story by telling you…

Reviews of the show

James Hayward from the EADT said (amongst other nice things) "It's the perfect setting for some of Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular songs and the large cast delivers the numbers with much aplomb and pleasure"

Other comments we received:

• "Delightful performance of Pirates on Saturday night, another triumph for your brilliant singers, WELL DONE to everyone." Mary Harden
• "Congratulations!! Another wonderful show." Pam Hammond
• "Just to say how much we enjoyed Thursday evening's performance of 'Pirates'. It was a pleasure to hear so many of the songs sung really well, and congratulations are due to all the lead singers, particularly 'Frederick 'and 'Mabel' for fine musical performances of Sullivan's music. We could hear the words clearly too, so Gilbert would have been pleased." Stanley Sharpe
• "What a fabulous show - thank you." Angela McNeilage

The Cast

The Show

Looked like this:

	"Oh, is there not one maiden here, Whose homely face and bad complexion Have caused all hope to disappear Of ever winning man's affection?"
"You shall quickly be parsonified, Conjugally matrimonified, By a doctor of divinity, Who is located in this vicinity"
	"Pour, oh, pour the pirate sherry"
" It is true that I admire you very much, but I have been constantly at sea since I was eight years old, and yours is the only woman's face I have seen during that time. I think it is a sweet face."
	"But why does he sit, night after night, in this draughty old ruin?"
"Thy loving children hear, In them thy comfort seek."
	"This very night my vengeance dire Shall glut itself in gore. Away, away!"
"Ah, must I leave thee here In endless night to dream,"
	"We charge you yield, In Queen Victoria's name!"
"When the foeman bares his steel, Tarantara! tarantara!"
	"No, Frederic, I shall live and die a Pirate King."
"For what, we ask, is life Without a touch of Poetry in it?"
	"With cat-like tread, Upon our prey we steal"
"A policeman's lot is not a happy one"
	"What a picturesque spot! I wonder where we are!"
"I am the very model of a modern Major-General"
	"Ah, yes! ah, yes! this is exceeding gladness!"
"But wait a bit. I object to pirates as sons-in-law."
	"Did ever maiden wake From dream of homely duty, To find her daylight break With such exceeding beauty?"
"For I am a Pirate King!"
	"Here's a first-rate opportunity To get married with impunity"
"Against our wills, Papa - against our wills!"