HMS Pinafore

Oh joy oh rapture unforeseen. This is an elegantly staged and beautifully sung production.

Husband and wife creative team John and Susan Brown has created a Pinafore that sticks to the era and the script. It proves that even over a century old the script can still be just as funny and entertaining as it is.

Having said that, some updates have been sparsely added that are well placed, and effective. They range from the clever (“an election year”), the goon-ish (the kookaburra during the nightingale song) and the naughty (hint: it’s in the Act 2 trio). There is some vaudeville shtick that I thought didn’t fit (orchestra throwing a prop back on to the stage). Ian Fletcher’s simple set does what all good sets do and doesn’t upstage the cast, while M Seedsman’s choreography is – as usual – clever and imaginative.

The classy feel of this production captures the sense of proper British manners. Think: cucumber sandwiches at Downton Abbey reading Pride and Prejudice, but with nice singing.

I have nothing but high praise for the principals: from Rebecca Carter’s Josephine and Richard Mills’s Ralph to Gordon Costello’s Corcoran, Stephen Wheatley’s Sir Joseph and Carli Partridge’s Buttercup, with James Carter’s Bill Bobstay, and Candy McInerney’s Hebe. They’re all spot on and a joy to watch and hear. Dick Deadeye as played by Richard Heagren-Gibbs is a revelation, showing that with the right approach and technique this traditional bass character can be effectively played by a tenor.

And boy oh boy, the great singing! This is very much a textbook example of how things should be sung: every one in tune, every word understood, every nuance and phrase carried across, and the harmonies coming off so naturally… all of it matched by the dignified playing of the orchestra.

Opening night was marred by a sense of trepidation from the Chorus: a bit too much stealing carefully on tiptoe, being too polite. This was a pity because their inhibition dragged the show and robbed it of its more joyous aspects. Chorus, please take a note from your fellow member Sharon Palmer and own that stage with life and enthusiasm.

There were some directorial decisions that didn’t gel with me. Bringing on the female chorus during Josephine’s Act 2 aria and the Act 2 trio felt unnecessary and distracting, especially when the soloists were doing a fine enough job keeping our attention. And the reason for Bill Bobstay regularly striking body-builder poses and push ups is never made clear, and just became annoying (though he was excellent in every other respect). The director told me afterwards it was to suggest the Captain fancies a bit of navy salt with his cup of butter, but never once did the Captain show any interest in Bobstay or the other sailors.

Despite all this, if you love hearing beautiful singing and orchestral playing, all executed with a high level of elegance then the show is worth checking out.

Oh, and did I mention how good the singing was?

Peter Novakovich

Images: Carli Partridge as Buttercup with male ensemble; Rebecca Carter as Josephine and Richard Mills as Ralph with cast, & Gordon Costello as Capt. Corcoran with male ensemble.