The Pirates of Penzance
A new and original comic Opera by Messrs. W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, entitled the "Pirates of Penzance, or Love and Duty. It is amazing how two dramatic writers have mastered the ability to amuse the public in such an original manner. This opera had its premiere on December 31, 1879, at the Fifth Avenue Theater in New York with Arthur Sullivan conducting. It opened on April 3, 1880, at the Opera Comique in London and ran for 363 performances.When one thinks of Pirates of Penzance many tend to immediately recollect the movie depicted from this play. Visions of Kevin Kline playing the Pirate King, Linda Ronstadt playing Mabel, Angela Lansbury as Ruth and George Rose plays the Major-General. The adaptation of this script was very true to Gilbert & Sullivan style. Varying degrees of comedic breaks, action scenes, and dance sequences definitely kept my interest. Although this play originated in 1879 the director did not seem to have any difficulty keeping the original historical plot and at the same time blending in a bit of modern themes and characteristics. Several words were added that weren't part of Gilbert's original script. It kept the adaptation novel and interesting.
The interpretations were modern yet they still kept the original heart of the play in the foreground. But while the words and music are essentially untouched, the choreographers and set designers had a field day. When you consider depth and the humor this play was originated with it is easy to see how character actors can get carried away in their own performance. The scenes were concise; costumes were extremely original; and the cast was particularly enthusiastic. This allowed the actors great flexibility in their actions and physical comedic performances. The ability to master the art of comedic timing is a rarity. At times her voice was inaudible and unpronounced. The performances overall had a natural and relaxed flow throughout the performance. Meshing an 1879 play with Millennium type humor is no small feat. It was a distraction within the play. The participants in this performance, although quite inexperienced, had quite an enjoyable time performing this comedic adaptation of Pirates. Gilbert's clever lyrics are pretty well preserved in this performance. The acting itself was very fresh and invigorating.
Common topics in this essay:
Gilbert Sullivan,
Thankfully Gilbert's,
Pirate King,
Arthur Sullivan's,
Love Duty,
Pirates Penzance,
Arthur Sullivan,
George Rose,
Comique London,
varying degrees,
pirates penzance,
Kevin Kline,
words added weren't,
gilbert's original script,
weren't gilbert's,
words added,
pirate king,
play originated,
comedic performances,
original script,
weren't gilbert's original,
added weren't gilbert's,
added weren't,
playing pirate,
playing pirate king,
|
Acceptance Essays
