The Pirates Of Penzance
Essgee Entertainments Pty
Genre: Comedy
Cast size: 22
Duration: Two Act
Essgee Entertainments Pty | Musical | Full-length | Principals: 5m, 5f Support: 2f (+Chorus)
Short synopsis
- Synopsis
- Characters
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Simon Gallaher's Essgee Entertainments has brought Gilbert and Sullivan into the twenty-first century through modern orchestrations, tighter funnier scripts, a fabulous 'megamix' finale, and the unique funky female chorus in three part harmony.
To many people the story told in 'The Pirates Of Penzance' really needs no long-winded explanation (but if you need the synopsis please click here). 'Pirates' is one of the best G&S operettas and is performed thousands of times a year in the original version and, that being out of copyright, in versions modified individually by the group performing it.
There are also two commercial versions which are copyrighted - the 'Broadway' version made famous by producer Joseph Papp in the 1980's (and which formed the basis of the film released around that time featuring Kevin Kline), and this one, the high-energy Australian version.
Gilbert and Sullivan wrote the most popular operettas in the history of English theatre. They are probably even more famous than Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and certainly as English as bacon and eggs, or roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. Indeed, their fame is so great, it rests as securely on their initials as on their names. To anyone who loves musical theatre, 'G&S' means old-fashioned melody, irreverence, wit and fun.
But now, Essgee Entertainment has thoroughly updated three of these Victorian operetta (HMS Pinafore, The Mikado and The Pirates Of Penzance) allowing today's theatregoer a fresh look at these classics. Almost all the original songs and tunes are included though and despite the 'pop feel' of many of the chorus numbers the most beautiful solos are untouched. The end product is true to the spirit of Gilbert and Sullivan, but much more accessible for today’s audiences.
You can hear the score for 'Pirates' on the Internet Archive here
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