English National Opera The Pirates of Penzance

Much fun - a wonderful very traditional version here's my Sydney Arts Gudie review http://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/opera-on-screen-the-english-national-opera-presents-the-pirates-of-penzance/ Tarantara ! Tarantara! Yes, it is the wonderful English National Opera in their wickedly delightful version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s ever popular THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE directed by Mike Leigh. Leigh ‘s film is a vibrant and essentially traditional production, and is a treat for all of us Gilbert and Sullivan fans . Musically it is glorious under the magnificent dynamic baton of maestro David Parry. The orchestra is splendid and the singing heavenly ( a CD please! ). What I particularly noticed was the attention paid to very precise elocution and diction, and a crucial factor in deciphering Gilbert’s tongue twisting lyrics. One of the ‘big three’ of the evergreen ‘G& S’ canon of delightful operettas, THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE has a silly whimsical plot of love, pirates, police, possible deception and a twisted paradox. It is hugely enjoyable fun that tempts audiences to sing along and dance rather surreptitiously in the aisles. The set designs are bright with very simple lines and panels of colour- featuring plenty of aquatic blues. The show opens with a telescope like effect to reveal the pirate ship, which then shifts for assorted scene changes. Sliding panels are used at times. Costumes are from the Victorian era. Mabel and her bevy of sisters wear bustles. Frederic at the opening of Act 2 is wearing a dinner suit. Major General Stanley has a spiffing tremendous red army uniform and plumed helmet and a very elegant velvet dressing gown. There is a huge pendant photo of Queen Victoria that descends when the Pirates are advised to yield. Robert Murray plays our hero Frederic, ‘the slave of duty’. He looks a little old for the part- Frederic is a mere twenty one years old- but he cuts a handsome figure and what a voice- glorious! His duet with Mabel in Act 2:- ‘Stay, Fred’ric, stay” … “Ah, leave me not to pine” … “Oh, here is love, and here is truth” was ravishing , and the ‘A Paradox ‘ was a lot of fun. Claudia Boyle played the part of Mabel. She was pert, pretty, kittenish and vivacious. She came across as being a trifle brittle–and possibly a trifle screechy in her high notes- nevertheless she gave a tremendous, delightful performance and she handled the coloratura fireworks marvellously . The ladies chorus of Major General Stanley’s daughters were very impressive. It was interesting to see that Leigh doesn’t give Mabel a spectacular, big entrance in Act 1 but rather gets her to step out from the back of her chorus of sisters. Rebecca de Pont Davies was tremendous as Ruth, the gallant ‘piratical maid of all work’, characterised by a slight limp , a hearing trumpet and protruding eyes. Joshua Bloom played the part of our splendid Pirate King with relish, presenting his characters in a cartoonish/storybook way with a black Pirate hat and an imposing coat with epaulets ( no parrot). was tremendously sung with enormous relish The assorted motley crew of Pirates were great fun. As Frederick points out, they are not sinister and dangerous, but rather soft hearted- ‘They are all noblemen who have gone wrong.’ Jonathon Lemalu played the part of the Sergeant of Police with a glorious swirly curly beard. His lament that ‘A policeman’s lot is not a happy one’ was fabulous and the men’s police chorus were excellent. Andrew Shore was a delightful, imposing presence as Major General Stanley. Highlights were his delivery of the introductory patter song and the great sleepwalking song- ‘I thought I heard a noise’. A wonderful time was had by all… Come friends who plough the sea … Running time- 2 hours without interval. This wonderful English National Opera production of THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, distributed by Potential Films, is screening at selected cinemas from Saturday 11th July. Running time – 2 hours ( no interval ) The wonderful ENO The Pirates of Penzance screens at selected cinemas as of July 11 For more about Opera On Screen : ENO The Pirates of Penzance, visit http://www.eno.org/experience/eno-screen-live-in-cinemas )