Festival Theatre, Malvern – 9th September 2023
Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau
5*****
Another night and another spectacular opera from the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company, this time the ever popular The Pirates of Penzance (1879). From the first notes the outstanding National Festival Orchestra, under their superb Conductor Murray Hipkin, were on sparkling form and had the audience toe-tapping and singing or humming all the tunes, of which the overture gave us the most glorious of previews!
The opening number presents us with the titular pirates and our hero Frederic, pirate apprentice extraordinaire played with wonderfully naive, boyish charm by Sam Marston. The plot is outlined in the opening exchanges when Ruth (Frederic’s faithful maid wrought with zeal by Gaynor Keeble) outlines how she misheard that he should be trained to be a ship’s pilot as “ship’s pirate”. Young Frederic has an unusually strong sense of honour which will be tested sorely by some upcoming revelations…
Soon The Pirate King (Matthew Siveter) appears to regale us with one of the many (many) highlights of the show; the song “Oh, better far to live and die” complete with side splitting camp theatrics, the first of the evening’s dance routines (big gruff pirates, my eye!) and a joie de vivre that was infectious. What a voice and acting skills Matthew has – I saw him last night playing the jailer but tonight it was like looking at a totally different actor (not just a different role). Breathtaking.
The chorus is more a group of stars than a supporting cast. All amazing and having so much fun! Nothing against the many G&S amateur societies (for they keep the flame alive) but seeing vibrant pirates and General Stanley’s daughters as young adults is rather more believable. This young cast gave the production ample opportunity for slapstick and physicality, especially during the interactions between the young ladies and the pirates who came to carry them away (several of whom were carried away by the eager young ladies – very amusing). It gave the production lots of energy, making the production trip along with the forward momentum of a rock concert. Mabel (Emily Vine) soared in her opening song “Poor wand’ring one!”. Apart from the vocal fireworks, her more restrained moments sparkled like summer sunlight reflecting off a gently undulating brook. One of the most famous patter songs “I am the very model of a modern Major-General” was perfectly delivered by Major-General Stanley (Simon Butteriss, who also directed again). I really enjoyed his “Pirates of Penzance, I’ve always wanted to meet them” vocal outburst, attesting again to his finely honed comic sensibilities. This work is liberally sprinkled with more core repertoire G&S hits than you can shake an unhappy-lotted policeman’s truncheon at, including another song you will know and love; “When a felons not engaged in his employment ” which had many in the audience again singing along to the “happy one” basso-profundo refrain. A show which deserves its place in our hearts, a production that unequivocally proves the genius of these works and performances that make us thank God for live theatre. An absolute triumph of an evening. My only regret is that they are not carrying on next week at Malvern with the next set of G&S classics.