United Kingdom Gilbert & Sullivan, The Pirates of Penzance: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of English National Opera / Natalie Murray Beale (conductor). London Coliseum, 2.12.2024. (JR)
The Pirates of Penzance is probably Gilbert & Sullivan’s most popular opera, and for good reason: it is filled with memorable melodies and there are plenty of high jinks. This English National Opera production marked the debut of acclaimed theatre and film director Mike Leigh back in 2015, and this was its second revival.
The set is modern and uses primary colours: it does not distract from the perfectly gaudy costumes – Victorian dresses for the young ladies, ragged garments for the pirates and historically correct policemen’s uniforms. Choreography was a mite rusty on the opening night, but the singers will soon learn their steps.
Two G&S stalwarts formed the backbone of the cast – Richard Suart (Vice-President of the Gilbert & Sullivan Society), now in his mid-seventies, is no longer physically agile but his voice is clear, though now lacking some volume: of course, he knows the part like the back of his hand. John Savournin is effectively Suart’s successor – he took lead roles in the ENO’s Iolanthe in 2023 and H.M.S. Pinafore in 2021 and in The Yeomen of the Guard in Holland Park last summer. His voice may not thrill but he is now probably the leading G&S expert in his field.
Of the men, I was much taken by the Police Sergeant, James Creswell: sonorous and with considerable comic talent, including an excellent West Country accent. William Morgan as Frederic impressed as well. As a treble in my all-boys junior school I was assigned the role of Mabel in the school production of Pirates, so I know how tricky is the high vocal line, especially in ‘O wand’ring one’, going right up to a giddy top E-flat – Isabelle Peters, a current ENO Harewood Artist, sparkled throughout and hit the top spot, though there was some uncertain intonation on the way there.
The chorus of ladies were excellent, Bethan Langford standing out as Edith. The policemen were comically sonorous, their march was a scream.
Henry Neill has a very formidable baritone and caught attention in the role of Samuel. As did Gaynor Keeble as Ruth, with her warm mezzo-soprano, garnering the top prize for comedy in this production.
Conductor Natalie Murray Beale never let the pace slacken and the orchestra really seemed to be enjoying themselves, especially in the jaunty overture; after such an introduction, you know you are going to have a good evening. This is a production where the smile never leaves your face, and there are plenty of laughs. The music is inventive, one showstopper after another, the satire is witty; and you leave the London Coliseum humming all the tunes.
This production is shared with theatres in Luxembourg and Saarbrücken, though one wonders what continental audiences make of Gilbert & Sullivan. Even with surtitles, words such as ‘dimity’ and ’emeutes’ puzzle even us natives. The complexity of the Major-General’s ‘I am the very model of a modern Major-General’ tests our knowledge of biology, history and more. (There was a very helpful programme note to aid our comprehension).
This really is the perfect show for Christmas – the sparkling music, the colourful set, the impeccable costumes, the easy humour. Two revivals can’t be wrong. Take the kids and the grandparents.
John Rhodes
Cast:
Major-General Stanley – Richard Suart
The Pirate King – John Savournin
Samuel – Henry Neill
Frederic – William Morgan
Sergeant of the Police – James Creswell
Mabel – Isabelle Peters
Edith – Bethan Langford
Kate – Anna Elizabeth Cooper
Isabel – Ella Kirkpatrick
Ruth – Gaynor Keeble
Creatives:
Director – Mike Leigh
Revival director – Sarah Tipple
Designer – Alison Chitty
Lighting designer – Paul Pyant
Revival Lighting designer – Ian Jackson’French
Sound designers – Sarah Weltman, Dominic Bilkey
Original Choreography – Francesca Jaynes
Assistant conductor – Murray Hipkin
Chorus director – Matthew Quinn