|
||
Main MenuHomeFuture Shows Booking Membership Diary Photo Gallery Links ShowCast & CreditsSynopsis Song List Composers Press Reports Photos |
The Pirates Of Penzanceby W.S.Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. Monday, 10th May to Saturday, 15th May, 2004
Cast and Credits
SynopsisThe Pirates of Penzance are celebrating the 21st birthday of their apprentice, Frederic. In the middle of the party he shocks them by announcing his departure, explaining that his joining them has been a terrible mistake. His nursemaid, Ruth, being slightly deaf, had thought she had to apprentice him to a Pirate, but it should have been a Pilot! Never having seen another woman, Frederic agrees to marry Ruth: after all, she has assured him she is beautiful. Thye arrival on the beach of Major-General Stanley's many daughters awakens him to the delights of young ladies and he reaslises that Ruth has lied to him. He is furious, and spurns her for Mabel, the only daughter who accepts his love. The pirates, meanwhile, creep upon the girls, seeing an ideal opportunity to get themselves wives. As they are carrying off the none-too reluctant girls, the Major-General himself arrives and realises he must act quickly to save the honour of his daughters. Having heard the rumour that the pirates never harm orphans, the crafty Major-General tearfully announces that he is an orphan and the tender-hearted pirates immediately let them all go with an invitation for them to become honorary pirates instead. The opening of Act 2 finds a guilt-stricken Major-General amongst the tombs of his ancestors. He is worried that the lie he told to secure his daughters' safety will bring dishonour on the family name. Frederic tells him not to worry. He is now a pillar of the community and is determined to wipe out the pirates once and for all. He summons the local constabulary, but they are not at all anxious to confront the pirates. Frederic's carefully laid plans are thrown into disarray when the Pirate King and Ruth turn up again. They inform him that he should still be a pirate because he was apprenticed to them until his 21st birthday. They further explain to the bemused Frederic that, paradoxically, he was born on February 29th and was, therefore, only 5. Always aware of his duty, Frderic sadly agrees to rejoin them and the heroic Mabel promises to wait for him until he comes of age in 1940. She exhorts the faint-hearted policemen to deal with the pirates, but they would much sooner be taking life easy! They are quickly overpowered by the pirates and are only saved when the pirates respond to the demands to give themselves up in the name of the Queen. Such devotion is explained as Ruth tells the Major-General that they are noblemen who have gone wrong, and all ends happily as the pirates and the girls are re-united.Back to the top Song List
Act 1:
Gilbert and SullivanBack to the top What The Press SaidBack to the top Show PhotosBack to the top |
Past Shows2006 - Oklahoma |
Jan Harvey, bos@tomh.demon.co.uk A "Quietly Outrageous" publication, Copyright 1996 Tom Harvey.
This Page was created on Wednesday, 19th May, 1999.