The Pirates of Penzance ★★★★★ London Coliseum | Dec 2, 2024 - Feb 21, 2025


Premiering in 1879, The Pirates of Penzance has been delighting audiences ever since. It has some of Sullivan's best loved melodies and some of Gilbert's sharpest lyrics. Indeed, the barbs at the public's taste for melodrama and sentimentality ring as true now as they ever did. From a contemporary point of view, there may be moments that are questionable in terms of expressions, ageism and sexism, but the subtitle of the show, A Slave of Duty, makes us also reflect that this is a premise that is becoming rather outmoded. Indeed, Gilbert's satirical presentation of the concept takes on an even more trenchant tone in our present world where neither politics nor society seem to have much sense of Victorian virtues such as duty, honour or even loyalty. The fact that it is the pirates who display these characteristics in abundance makes Gilbert's irony both darker and more apposite, and the paradox that it is the outsiders, not the insiders, who uphold such standards rings amusingly relevant. This production from the English National Opera is a wonderful revival of the classic, and all of the cast rise to the occasion. John Savournin is a delight as The Pirate King and William Morgan is splendid as the noble young Frederic. Isabelle Peters is simply perfect as Mabel and her rendition of "Poor Wand'ring One" is a triumph. James Creswell and the chorus' rendition of "When A Felon's Not Engaged In His Employment (A Policeman's Lot Is Not A Happy One)" is another unforgettable moment in a production that makes one think how times and values may have changed, but human nature remains much the same. Director Mike Leigh's The Pirates of Penzance has all the hummable music and provocative humour that made it a hit over a century ago.

Rated: ★★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Craig Fuller

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When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: London Coliseum, St Martin's Ln, London WC2N 4ES, UK

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