top of page
Search

The Pirates of Penzance

clive579

And five stars go to . . .


Gilbert and Sullivan fans will find much to cheer in the ENO’s latest production of The Pirates of Penzance.


But Living with Disability’s five stars go to the front-of-house person wearing the ‘Access’ tee-shirt on the night we went to review the production.


She worked tirelessly before and during the production to ensure that everyone could hear, see and enjoy the production, ensuring the event was truly inclusive for anyone needing visual, hearing or mobility adjustments. She even dropped back to the auditorium after the production, to round off her wards’ (oh no, that’s another G&S production – very niche reference) evenings, checking in on their experience.


The English National Opera works really hard to make its art form accessible, with free tickets for under 21s, an extensive schools education programme, discounted tickets for 21 – 35 year olds and general ticket prices starting at £10.


With a relaxed performance this Thursday January 30 and a signed performance for the matinee performance on Saturday February 8, it’s a great chance to check out this great production.


Now onto the show – and I have to declare a real interest. As a very nerdy teenager, I joined the Gilbert and Sullivan Society (and regularly travelled miles across London to meetings) encouraged by the amazing lyric and musical skills of G&S and by the extraordinary comedy performances of an unparalleled comic actor, John Reed, across their repertoire.


He’d have slayed on TikTok.


So what does G&S look like in 2025? Well, for a start, it’s still packed full of a well-delivered combination of humour and pathos. There are relevant sly digs about the upper classes, the House of Lords and an old nod to the new ‘demure’ trend when the Major General’s daughters go bathing. Any unfamiliar words can be easily looked up in the ENO’s handy glossary of terms.


Director Mike Leigh’s highly stylised production focuses on vocal performances rather than the physical comedy often evident in other productions, with the exception of the very brilliant James Cresswell, as the Sergeant of Police.


Isabelle Peters, as Mabel, transformed a character who can, directed differently, be seen as slightly feeble, into a well-rounded character, bursting with energy and charisma with an impressively precise vocal range through some challenging numbers.


Gilbert and Sullivan experts Richard Suart and John Savournin take the stage as Major-General Stanley and his foe The Pirate King, and Bethan Langford as Edith combined a great stage presence with an elegant performance.


Next up at the ENO is the crowd-pleasing Marriage of Figaro. If you’ve missed the chance to see the Penzance pirates, grab the chance to travel to Seville in Spain to find out why Mozart’s masterpiece is regularly called one of the most popular operas ever written.


The Pirates of Penzance runs until February 21. For further information visit https://www.eno.org/whats-on/the-pirates-of-penzance/

 

0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


© Ability Promotions 2024. Living with Disability Magazine is part of the Total Sense Media family. 

©2024 Total Sense Media. Unit 4, Regent Business Centre, Jubilee Road, Burgess Hill, RH15 9TL.

webmaster@abilitypromotions.com

Get our online app:

Download on the app store
image.png
  • Facebook Social Icon
Get it on Google Play
bottom of page