Review: The Pirates of Penzance (London Coliseum)

Review by Sam Waite

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The idea that opera is dull and overly serious is easily dismissed by the very existence of Gilbert and Sullivan, and of countless other artists who made careers out of bringing joy and laughter to the art form. Moving gracefully between light comic opera and outright parody of the duo’s contemporaries, The Pirates of Penzance is perhaps their best-known offering, so consistently enjoyed that Mike Leigh’s 2015 production has returned for another glorious season at The London Coliseum,

Helmed by revival director Sarah Tipple, Pirates tells the delightful absurd story of duty-bound Frederic, the band of surprisingly noble pirates to whom he was accidentally apprenticed, and his newfound love Mabel’s efforts to protect her father and sisters from these same pirates' crimes. The comical mishaps begin right away, when Frederic points out that The Pirate King’s refusal to attack any orphan scuppers most of their plans, as anyone under siege need only claim this status for themselves, and continues into the second act, where an increasingly ludicrous set of coincidences lead to a bafflingly brisk happy ending.

Rather than try to match the grandeur of the Coliseum, designer Alison Chitty leans into simplicity to create striking visual effects and provide a sense of distance even when actors stay mostly to the front of the stage. Chitty utilises a circular opening in a mid-stage screen to great effort, particularly with a number of clever entrances. Indeed, the choice is immediately winning when the abstract, minimalist representation of The Pirate King’s ship steers through the opening to begin the performance. Later, the famously timid troupe of policeman use its edges to stellar comedic effect while stalking their villainous foes.

Conducted by Natalie Murray Beale, the orchestra play as marvellously as you'd expect from the English National Opera, offering a fine compliment to the stunning vocals on show. Directed by Matthew Quinn, the chorus of officers, pirates and maidens sound splendid, be it in their respective groups or when singing alongside the others. Subtle but all too essential is the work of Sarah Weltman, the sound designer who manages to keep all the glorious tones in perfect harmony.

Leading the cast as Frederic, freshly out of his apprenticeship to The Pirate King, William Morgan boasts a powerful tenor and a youthful charm, bringing a suitably boyish energy to the young man taking his first steps beyond the ship. In Morgan’s performance, Frederic’s lack of experience with women is apparent and adorable, as sweet and humorous as his bond with nurserymaid turned pirates’ maid Ruth. Having a great deal of fun with the part, Gaynor Keeble wrings every drop of humour out of Ruth’s misguided attempts at caring for her charge – it was she, after all, who misheard the plea to apprentice the boy to a ship’s captain (its pilot) and placed him in The Pirate King’s care to begin with.

The Pirate King himself, endlessly noble and utterly rigid in his values, is played by John Savournin, bringing a boisterous energy to the performance. As a foil to Richard Stuart’s Major-General Stanley (the very model of… you know the rest!), both bring a lived-in quality to their work that lets us know right away that their present buffooneries are entirely in keeping with how these men command their respective troops. Completing this tragically inept trio is James Creswell’s Sargent, bold and brash in his promises of protection, but leading his men with palpable worry when the threat of combat with the pirates crosses his mind.

Of course, it should go without saying that all involved are fantastic vocalists, perhaps none more so than Isabelle Peters, taking in the role of headstrong beauty Mabel. Doing a fine job both of skewering and simply being the prototypical ingenue, Peters’ bright soprano proves to be a highlight among an incredibly talented company. The unspoken leader of the Major-General's many daughters, Peter's brings the requisite pluck and zealous energy to the part, helping greatly to back up the comically short nature of her falling in love, coming under attack, and a smart, silly solution being found.

Much-loved masters of the art form, Gilbert and Sullivan’s work remains undeniably strong nearly a century and a half later. Still widely beloved and endlessly catchy, it should come as no surprise how enjoyable Sullivan’s score continues to be, but the real thrill is in how well Gilbert’s libretto has aged. The witty dialogue is still fresh, the lyrics still suitably silly in their approach, and even jokes with hints of misogyny ring truer as sentiments against the men believing them than the women on the receiving end. Leigh, and Tipple after him, have done fine work bringing this classic to back to the stage, and perhaps the only detractor is the simple fact that someone opposed to opera won't like this production more than they might any other – the show has been successfully brought to a new generation, just not an entirely new audience.

Fantastically funny and performed with a fabulous blend of vocal talent and comic chops, The Pirates of Penzance proves once again just why it is such a well-work classic, and why it is always worth revisiting historical work to share how brilliant much of it can be. Without any overt political additions or shoe-horned references to modern life, Leigh and Tipple make the wisest choice for this particular revival – they simply allow an already-stellar show to simply breathe.

The Pirates of Penzance plays at The London Coliseum until February 21st 2025

For tickets and information visit https://www.eno.org/whats-on/the-pirates-of-penzance/

Photos by Craig Fuller