By Charlotte Ndupuechi
Sasha Regan’s all-male cast of The Pirates of Penzance returned to Theatre Royal Winchester, with a modern and playful twist on Gilbert and Sullivan’s timeless operetta (8/10/2024).
The Pirates of Penzance is about a young man Frederic (Cameron McAllister) who is mistakenly apprenticed to a band of kind-hearted, orphaned pirates. He was supposed to become a pilot but because of his sense of duty stays, even after realising the error.
Upon turning 21, Fredric plans to leave the pirate life and marry Mabel (Luke Garner-Greene) the daughter of Major-General Stanley (David McKechnie). However, he discovers that he is still bound to the pirates due to a leap-year loophole—having been born on February 29, he technically has only had five birthdays and so won’t come of age until he is 84!
As the story unfolds, the audience is taken on a comedic adventure filled with oversized moustaches, fabulous music, well-timed choreography and delightful characters. The all-male cast amplifies the humour and absurdity of the situation, with the actors switching between male and female roles.
My favourite musical number was the rapid-fire and brisk tempo of “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General.”. The musical director Giannis Giannapoulos was flawless with each number.
Hard to imagine that this was first performed in 1879, but easy to see why it is still delighting audiences today. With infectious music, clever staging and a talented cast it’s easy to see why The Pirates of Penzance continues to delight and charm after all these years.
Pirates of Penzance will be at Theatre Royal Winchester from Tuesday 08 – Saturday 12 October at various times. For more information or to book tickets, visit: theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk or call 01962 840 440.
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