The Pirates of Penzance is running at The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, until August 4, and if you’ve never seen this work by
Gilbert & Sullivan, just knowing it has remained popular since its premier
in 1879 is reason enough to be intrigued.
The Pirates of Penzance at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Credit Mark Kitaoka |
The Sergeant of Police (Jared Michael Brown, center) is the leader of a brigade of Canadian Mounties in The Pirates of Penzance at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Credit Tracy Martin |
Watching
the show last Friday night, I found much to appreciate, admire, and enjoy, and
I recommend it for many good reasons. But before seeing it, I had my doubts
because of the silliness factor. Maybe
I’m too serious, but I like art to inspire reflection. It’s hard to look too
deeply into something that appears so shallow, yet this classic does contain
timeless observations about human society and the conflicts and
contradictions still as present in our modern lives as in those of its
characters. And it's certainly highly entertaining.
(l-r) Frederic (Hunter Ryan Herdlicka) and Ruth (Anne Allgood) in The Pirates of Penzance at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Credit Tracy Martin |
For those
who are unfamiliar with Pirates, the
backstory concerns a boy having been orphaned and then being unintentionally
indentured to a band of pirates through a misunderstanding on the part of his
nursemaid, Ruth. One of my 5th Avenue favorites, Anne Allgood, a veteran of Broadway, starred in this role.
The story begins when the boy, Frederic—played by Broadway star Hunter Ryan Herdlicka—reaches manhood
and has fulfilled his obligation to the pirates. He then decides to leave them,
and the isolated existence he’s known, to experience a normal life and meet
young women. The only woman he has supposedly ever seen is his much older nursemaid Ruth. He also faces a moral
conflict; he knows that the pirates who have been like family to him
are actually criminals.
Brandon O'Neill as the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Credit Tracy Martin |
Other
significant characters are the pirate King—so perfectly portrayed by the
dashing and talented Brandon O’Neill—and
the Major General, played by David
Pichette, who also did a great job in his role. The Major General's daughter, Mabel, is
Frederic’s love interest, with Anne Eisendrath
starring in that role with ease. In addition to having the daughter Mabel, the
Major General has adopted, or at least provided a home for, many other young
women who call him “father." Conveniently, there are as many of them as
there are available pirates. And those pirates, whose real identities will
later be revealed, are much more soft-hearted than menacing. But remember, this
is all a farce.
David Pichette, as Major General Stanley in The Pirates of Penzance at The 5th Avenue Theatre Credit Mark Kitaoka |
Silly as it is, this show is also a lot of fun. Part of the fun comes from trying to catch all the little details. I think you could watch it ten times and still not see everything. On the drive home, my companion for the evening mentioned several funny things I’d missed. For example, there’s a pirate who goes around with a fake parrot on his shoulder, and when an equally fake Canada goose lost its head to the swipe of a sword (no blood involved) the pirate covered the parrot's eyes against such violence.
(l-r) Frederic (Hunter Ryan Herdlicka) and Mabel (Anne Eisendrath) in The Pirates of Penzance at The 5th Avenue Theatre.
Credit Tracy Martin |
The one
thing serious about this production is the seriously great singing, especially
by O’Neill. His powerful voice and
bold physical actions made his character of the pirate king both irresistible and
unforgettable. I’ve always been a fan of O’Neill
but especially enjoyed watching him in this role, marveling over his athleticism
and natural grace that display his well-honed theatrical skills. Eisendrath is a fine soprano whose
beautiful voice elevated her role as Mabel to a level beyond its usual
potential. Likewise, Herdlicka demonstrated the reason behind his impressive career, with a voice worthy of any role.
(l-r) Frederic (Hunter Ryan Herdlicka), Ruth (Anne Allgood), and the Pirate King (Brandon O'Neill) in The Pirates of Penzance at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Credit Mark Kitaoka |
But, from a
woman’s perspective, I must say that Anne
Allgood’s portrayal of Ruth was the most heroic. In a good story, the main
characters should be on their own journeys, during which they must face challenges
and learn lessons, ending up different than when they began. Hers was the only
character who actually changed and
came into her own sense of personal power and strength by the ending, quite an
accomplishment for a single, middle-aged woman during the Victorian era, and it
resonated well.
Frederic (Hunter Ryan Herdlicka, left) and the Pirate King (Brandon O'Neill, right) in The Pirates of Penzance at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Credit Tracy Martin |
Plot aside,
the production dazzled in many ways, and the sets were absolutely stunning, among
the most beautiful I’ve ever seen at this theater. There were only two
different sets, but they did the job, gorgeously. In one, colorful starfish cling to boulders
along the coastline and you can almost hear the sea and smell the evergreen
forest. In the other set—the ruins of a cemetery on the Major General’s estate—the lighting and ambience created a beautiful scene. James Rocco’s direction and choreography gave this production a
flawless flow and appeal. I offer my most sincere praise for the amazing Tom Sturge, once again, for his amazing
scenic and lighting design, worth the price of a ticket alone. Christine Tschirgi scored another
victory with her great costume designs and Joel Fram with music direction.
With such a
team of professionals, every show at The 5th Avenue is worth seeing. I am not much of Gilbert & Sullivan fan, but I enjoyed every minute of
this delightful production. I’m sure you would too. You can order your
tickets right here. And just to get inspired, you can take a look at this slideshow. Enjoy!
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