Scottish Opera: The Pirates of Penzance
The Pirates of Penzance was written in a hurry so that Gilbert & Sullivan could open it on Broadway and finally taste those sweet, sweet American royalties, but in spite of its mercenary origin it's one of the best-loved operettas ever written, a crazily sparkling farce with a bumbling but patriotic pirate crew, some spectacularly inept policemen and a major-general who can't tell a rifle from a javelin. Sullivan's catchy and ebullient score matches Gilbert's absurd comic invention. This co-production between Scottish Opera and D'Oyly Carte features Richard Suart, Steven Page and Graeme Broadbent.
Gilbert and Sullivan as it’s meant to be – pure, uncomplicated fun, performed to the highest of standards. This new co-production with D’Oyly Carte Opera Company – returning to the stage for the first time in over 10 years – is conducted by G&S expert and D’Oyly Carte Music Director John Owen Edwards. Director Martin Lloyd-Evans stages a vibrant, stylish, all singing, all dancing show.
A young man bound by an overactive sense of duty, a soft-hearted pirate king with a hopeless band of rogues at his side, a beautiful young girl, a very modern major-general and an ineffectual bevy of policemen … add a plot hinging on the technicalities of having a birthday on the 29th of February and we’re just about there. What could possibly go wrong?
Mercilessly parodying Victorian society and its very particular moral values, The Pirates of Penzance is exquisitely observed and wonderfully funny. Gilbert’s high-speed patter is razor sharp and Sullivan’s score sees him at the top of his game, mixing an operatic style to rival the great Italians of his day with the catchy, witty melodies for which he is so well known. The fantastic ensemble cast includes celebrated G&S stalwarts Steven Page and Richard Suart, and Scottish Opera favourite Graeme Broadbent (The Barber of Seville 2011, The Rake’s Progress 2012).
NEW PRODUCTION
Sung in English with English supertitles
A Co-production with D’Oyly Carte Opera Company
Conductors John Owen Edwards & Derek Clark
Director Martin Lloyd-Evans
Designer Jamie Vartan
Choreographer Steve Elias
Lighting Colin Grenfell
Mabel Stephanie Corley/Ellie Laugharne
Frederic Nicholas Sharratt/Samuel Furness
Ruth Rosie Aldridge
Sergeant of Police Graeme Broadbent
The Pirate King Steven Page
Major-General Stanley Richard Suart
Edith Katie Grosset
Kate Sioned Gwen Davies
Samuel Andrew McTaggart
Isabel Catrine Kirkman
Text supplied by third party.
Performance times
Bristol Hippodrome
Wed 19 Jun
£15–£47.50 / 0844 847 2325
Thu 20 Jun
£15–£47.50 / 0844 847 2325
Fri 21 Jun
£15–£47.50 / 0844 847 2325
Sat 22 Jun
£15–£47.50 / 0844 847 2325
New Theatre, Oxford
Tue 2 Jul
£15–£45 / 0870 606 3500
Wed 3 Jul
£15–£45 / 0870 606 3500
Thu 4 Jul
£15–£45 / 0870 606 3500
Fri 5 Jul
£15–£45 / 0870 606 3500
Sat 6 Jul
£15–£45 / 0870 606 3500
Reviews & features
Profile: Scottish Opera - Scotland’s national opera company
7 Nov 2012
Facts and statistics on Scottish Opera as it celebrates its 50th anniversary
Founded in 1962 by Sir Alexander Gibson, Scotland’s national opera company celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2012/13. Not without its dramas off-stage as well as on-stage over the years, Scottish Opera is one of five national performing companies that…
To post a comment you'll first need to sign in:
Not registered?
Sign up – it only takes a minute.
Forgotten your password?