Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic operettas have always been an acquired taste and the ENO has occasionally fallen into the trap of hamming up the comedy or trying to appeal to a wider audience by including TV stars of dubious singing ability. Their latest revival of the Pirates of Penzance, however, shows that they have finally acquired all the right flavours to make a thoroughly convincing production, showing that G&S is at its most convincing when done without gimmicks.
This performance of Mike Leigh’s production, which was first seen in 2015, is handled with commendable restraint by revival director Sarah Tipple, who lets the Gilbertian absurdity assert itself. Two further factors added to the fun: the first was the way the cast was a perfect combination of experienced G&S performers and opera singers letting their hair down with some Victorian comedy; the second was the way the production showcased the ENO’s Harewood Artist training programme by including two current members and one recent graduate in important roles, clearly relishing the opportunities this gave.
The plot of the Pirates of Penzance is gloriously silly even by G&S standards. Frederic is preparing to finish his apprenticeship to a gang of incompetent pirates to whom he became attached through a mistake: his nanny was meant to ensure that he trained for a respectable profession but she misheard the word ‘pilot’ for ‘pirate’.
The sub-title of the operetta is ‘The Slave of Duty’ as Frederic considers it his duty to abide by the terms of his piratical contract which specifies that his apprenticeship will last until his 21st birthday and he feels honour bound to stick to this even when he discovers that he was born on 29 February in a leap year, so will not have a real 21st birthday until he is in his 80s. This is most inconvenient for his newly hatched plans to marry Mabel, one of the daughters of a rather doddery major-general.
I told you it was silly, but it gets gloriously sillier with the appearance of a troop of cowardly policemen, terrified of the pirates they are meant to be catching and, most of all, with the brilliantly unlikely finish which lets everyone live happily ever after.
William Morgan, a recent Harewood graduate, gave a glorious performance as Frederic. With a powerful tenor voice and excellent comic acting he was perfect for the role and was excellently supported by current Harewood students Bethan Langford as one of the Major-general’s daughters and Gaynor Keeble as Ruth, former nanny who became a maid to the pirates.
Sublime comic touches are produced by Richard Suart as Major-General Stanley and John Savournin as the Pirate King. They are both experienced G&S regulars as well as having fine voices that have led to their appearances in many more serious operas as well. The American bass James Creswell, however, is primarily a true opera singer, but on this occasion gave an excellently comic performance as the Sergeant of Police leading his squad of cowardly incompetents.
The orchestra was conducted with great spirit by Natalie Murray Beale who always managed to maintain a brisk tempo, though the singers occasionally seemed pushed to keep up. Only when Suart was singing the Modern Major-General patter song did Murray Beale look in danger of falling behind the pace.
Compared with other operas, even comic ones, Gilbert and Sullivan is lightweight and undemanding, but this ENO production is the perfect Christmas entertainment. The entire cast have captured its spirit deliciously. I but do not think I have ever enjoyed G&S so much.
The Pirates of Penzance is playing at the London Coliseum until 21 February 2025. Box office: eno.org or 020 7845 9300.