NODA Review: Pirates of Penzance

General

Centre Stage have really pushed the boat out to mark their Golden anniversary with a string of strong musicals.

For the final event they returned to the same show that started the whole thing with a rousing performance of

the G&S classic. Interlaced with references to their creation in the 1960’s this really made for a memorable

evening all round.

By going back to their roots we were able to appreciate how far the group have come and the work they have

put into development. The opening 1960’s audition and the closing song rounding up what the group means to

its members were not only different but also added to the feel of a night of celebration.

Players -Leading

Charlie Houseago (Frederick) was great in the role the right age and with an excellent voice he gave us a strong

classical rendition of the part with some well developed acting skills enhancing the portrayal.

Lee Thompson (Pirate King) was bold and brassy as the pirate king. A sound performance in what is a difficult

role to really nail he was clearly enjoying himself in delivering this larger than life character.

Giulia Boggiano (Mabel) was again perfect for the role of Mabel having a fantastic voice and great stage

presence she really shone. Her rendition of “poor wand’ring one” was a real highlight of the evening.

Siobhan McConnon (Ruth) in the comic female role embraced the part in her own characteristic style using her

rubber faced approach throughout. She certainly gave the part a different perspective.

Benjamin Thiele-Long (Major General Stanley) was well made up so that he appeared the right age as the

retired Major General. He adopted the sort of military bearing such a character would have and maintained it

even into the curtain call. An excellent uniform added to the characters persona and his rendition of “I am the

very model of a modern Major General” was spot on.

Kevin Murray (Sergeant of Police) having lost his voice was forced to mime which from where I sat was very

evident. His acting and movement on stage was good and his depiction of the character had a really authentic

feel.

John Kneeland (Samuel) gave us good performance as one of the leading pirates. An excellent costume and

some strong character elements all added to his role.

Fiona Murray (Kate) as Kate delivered the part well. She has very expressive eyes that really underlined her

characterisation adding to the overall impact of the daughter chorus.

Be inspired by amateur

theatre

Page 2

NODA – Be Inspired by Amateur Theatre

Sarah Taylor (Edith) as one of the main daughters gave a sound performance encapsulating the feel of the

show well.

Gabi Benton-Stace (Isabel) as Isabel again gave an excellent performance dancing and moving well to deliver an

excellent part.

Support

The support falls into three distinct groups each with a different persona. The main chorus of daughters was

exactly right in projecting the feel of young Victorian ladies. Great singing and some impressive dancing added

greatly to the overall feel of the show. The Pirates in the main looked menacing though one wore very

modern glasses, which was odd as the Major General wore glasses that were much more in period. The

policemen had the keystone cops feel which adds a degree of comedy and delivered their roles well.

Director

Peter John Mills is a very accomplished director with a good eye for detail and clearly revelled in bringing the

show to life. His use of the space was excellent and the whole thing flowed at a good pace that meant

everyone enjoyed the spectacle.

Musical Director

Christopher Oakley led the band well stepping in to provide the police sergeants voice as well. The band

provided an excellent level of musical support which boosted and enhanced the delivery of the songs.

Choreographer

Cheryl Gurnham not only choreographed the show but also demonstrated her own dancing skills during the

fake audition sequence as well as being part of the chorus. The routines she devised were well within the skills

of the cast and this made it look very polished. Her was a good contribution to the shows overall visual impact.

Stage Management

With such a large cast the stage management needed to be carefully planned and executed and it was. The

action flowed at a good pace and everyone clearly knew exactly what was required of them.

Sound

A good clear sound which meant the audience heard every word both spoken and sung adding a vital element

to the show as a whole.

Lighting

The lighting was used well especially when the Major-General was reflecting on his actions in the graveyard.

Again well worked out and not in your face a key element in the show.

Make-up

Page 3

NODA – Be Inspired by Amateur Theatre

It is said that the mark of good make-up is when it’s done well you barely notice it. This was the case with no

over the top examples but which also served its purpose.

Set Design

The set was interesting moving from Pirate ship to beach in the twinkle of an eye. The grave stones showed

the name Stanley despite him only buying the site the year before. Either it was a really bad year or an

amazing co-incidence.

Props

The props were good with the swords looking both solid and authentic. A couple of pistols in the second act

looked like toys which was a shame as it undermined the scene a little.

Costumes

The costumes were interesting in a number of ways. The 1960’s garb for the opening period auditions were

perfect. Those for the pirates were a little more mixed, a fake parrot just didn’t work undermining the

menacing feel of the other pirates who were attired in a strong iconic style. The pirate king costume was

colourful and striking giving him inherent authority. The daughter’s chorus had a variety of shirt lengths which

was not the norm in Victorian times. The police sergeant did not have three stripes but coloured epaulettes

which denoted someone of officer rank.

Programme

An interesting programme which should be entered into the regional competition it was colourful and

informative reflecting both show and the celebrations behind it. The bios were excellent and helped the

audience greatly.

Page 4

NODA – Be Inspired by Amateur Theatre

Front of house

The front of house team worked really hard with Alexis Rose dealing quietly and efficiently with a surprising

number of late comers. The programme sellers wore 1960’s garb to add to the feel and welcome. The lobby

still presents logistical problems in processing audience members before the show starts but it difficult to know

what can be done to offset this.

Tony Sweeney

Regional Representative

NODA London