"Pirates of Penzance" - A Review

 What makes a classic play (or musical)?

   There have been untold  thousands of plays written over the centuries since the first playwright started scribbling, and most of those shows had their moment in the sun - and then disappeared forever.

   So why does Shakespeare still draw crowds, while Thomas Kyd is largely forgotten? Why do Gilbert & Sullivan endure while Dunlap & Carr languish?

   The easy answer is: they were masters of the art, setting a standard others can only aspire to. 

   Gilbert & Sullivan created 14 comic operas that were beloved by theatre fans in the late 1800s - and shows such as The Mikado and H.M.S. Pinafore are still being presented today (among others), with avid fans still packing in performances.

   But my personal favorite from that duo is The Pirates of Penzance - so it was with great anticipation that I attended last Saturday’s performance at Huntington’s Renaissance Theatre. 

   I’m happy to report that the show is an absolute delight - and probably the silliest (and funniest) show you’ll see this year.

   It’s easy to see how Gilbert & Sullivan influenced generations of comedians - the combination of silly antics with sharp and intelligent wordplay is in evidence, and would obviously influence modern performers including Your Show of Shows and Monty Python’s Flying Circus (not to mention hordes of musicians and playwrights).

   The story of “Pirates” is a mad delight: a young man named Frederick is accidentally apprenticed to a group of tender-hearted pirates, but when he reaches his 21st birthday, his apprenticeship is ended, and he vows to bring the pirates to justice. 

   Left on a desolate shore, he encounters a flock of beautiful girls - the Stanley sisters - and one of the girls captures his heart. The pirates return and threaten to (ahem) marry the sisters, but their plans are thwarted by the father of the girls, who is a Major-General.

   And that just takes us to intermission! There are more highjinks in Act II, along with plot twists, battles with the Keystoniest Cops ever, a hilarious round of hide-and-seek and a riotous (and terribly convenient and unexpected) wrap-up to the whole crazed adventure. 

   Of course, the most wonderful play can’t succeed without a talented cast, and ARTS has that (and then some). 

   Nic Scaggs plays the Pirate King, and it’s a challenging part - he must veer back and forth from clever to stupid and heel to leader without losing the audience’s favor - and Scaggs does it with apparent ease and rugged charm. It doesn’t hurt that he has a fantastic singing voice and a wonderful supporting cast of pirates who can be threatening and vicious while obviously being, underneath their gruff and comic exterior, a cuddly bunch. They’re a wonderfully expressive, charming band with terrific voices - they include Eric Wilson as Samuel (showing off a tremendous tattoo on his chest), with Bill Stambaugh, Luke Matlock, Andrew Surber, Jonathan Armstrong and Stephen Vance rounding out the pirate band. 

   The central character in the show is Frederick, the idealistic and naive young pirate who tries (with little success) to amend his misdeeds and change his life. He’s played with a purity of spirit by Michael Naglee, who’s born to be on stage - you can’t take your eyes off him.  A terrific singer, he gives us a Frederick who can steal hearts, gain sympathy and play each comic moment perfectly. It would be easy to play the character as smug and insufferable - but in Naglee’s care, he’s actually rather sweet and affable (if a bit dim when needed). He’s so much fun to watch!

   Karen Pruitt plays Ruth, Frederick’s former nursemaid who is ultimately responsible for his predicament. She’s wonderfully funny and a fine singer - and manages to hold her own against a stage full of pirates!

    If I had to pick out the most impressive performance in the show, I’d have to go with Nora Ankrom as Mabel, the Stanley sister who falls in love with Frederick. I knew she was very funny from seeing her performance in The Man Who Came to Dinner (and she gets plenty of chances to get laughs here, too), but I had no idea that she was such an amazing singer! Mabel sings her songs at the top of the register, and Nora hits those notes effortlessly! Truly impressive and a real delight.

   For most male actors, THE role that they someday hope to play is that of Mabel’s father, Major-General Stanley. Here the part is played to perfection by a relative newcomer to the area, Dr. John Campbell. He gets to chew scenery, stare down the pirates, outsmart the band, generate big laughs, and sing one of the most famous songs in the history of musical theatre: “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General.” Campbell knocks it out of the park - he’s a delight from the moment he struts onto the stage, and carries right through to the curtain call.

   There are two other groups that make the show a hit - the sisters and the constables. The Stanley sisters provide both soaring vocals and huge laughs throughout the show. The sequence where they’re flirting with Frederick is an absolute classic, if just for their comic expressions. The group includes Tiffany Trent, Molly Maynard, Courtney Parsley, Laura Armstrong, Jaclyn Johnson, Joanna Berner and Emma Grace Imes - each one a treasure! 

   Last to appear in the show (but first in the hearts of comedy fans) are the Constables, brought in to bring the pirates to justice - a task that is surely beyond this bumbling group of policemen. Led by Todd Green, the three - Tristan Reynolds, Tyler Bradley and Mike Murdock - are absolutely hilarious, both for their songs and their cowardly antics. 

   The show is presented in the Renaissance Ballroom, which might seem a small venue for a big, classic production - but the directors have created an intimate, cleverly-designed space that works perfectly (and just manages to allow room to squeeze everyone on stage for that final act). 

   The costuming is effective, from the pirate’s duds to the sisters bustling outfits, the lighting is effective and the sound clear and well managed (which is to say, I didn’t notice any problems - which is a sure sign of good tech work).

   Congratulations to director Bil Neal and his team of directors for bringing this classic production to life! It checks all the boxes - excellent choreography, top-notch musical performances and outstanding acting! I thoroughly enjoyed the show! 

   “Pirates” has endured for a simple reason: it’s a fantastic show, and the company at ARTS does it up right. If you enjoy musical theatre, you don’t want to miss this one. (And if you don’t enjoy musical theatre, you should probably be reading a different blog.)

   Highly recommended!