By Kathryn Olsen
There is always an atmosphere of excitement at Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City, but it is particularly in the air as The Pirates of Penzance opens at the Randall L. Jones Theatre. This classic of modern operetta by William Schwenck Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan is the epitome of British satire and it is the perfect way to return after a missed year of the Festival due to the pandemic. I, myself, never miss an opportunity to see a production of this play and left pleasantly exhilarated by the fresh new ways in which I enjoyed the staging.
The play opens with the eponymous Pirates celebrating the 21st birthday of their long-time apprentice Frederic (Jalon Matthews). He has completed his indentured servitude and is being offered a place as an official Pirate of Penzance. To everyone’s horror, Frederic reveals that he has only remained with the band out of duty after his nursery maid Ruth (Marlene Montes) confused the word pilot with the word pirate. No longer duty-bound, he has decided to lead a law-abiding life and atone for his thirteen years of service by murdering every single one of them. The Pirate King (Rhett Guter) is horrified by the wholesale slaughter that awaits his crew, but encourages him to follow the dictates of his conscience. Frederic enters the real world in search of a wife and is about to pledge himself to his aging nurse when he sees a bevy of beautiful maidens and becomes smitten with the most sympathetic of them, Mabel (Cecilia Iole). Chaos ensues when the pirates decide to capture her sisters and wed them on the spot, but they are rescued by Major-General Stanley (Richard R. Henry). Stanley convinces the tender-hearted pirates to spare him and release his daughters on the claim that he is an orphan and will be left alone in the world. Act 2 picks up with the revelation that he lied on this count and that is not the only twist or turn in the story.
Matthews’ performance is one of the most true to the nature of his character. He is meant to be both naive and optimistic and lives as a “slave of duty.” While many other actors take it to an exaggerated comical high, he achieves the pitch of this man-child without coming up short or going over the top. His vocals are pure and his acting is earnest, both of which make his stage presence riveting.
Iole is, by contast, an over-the-top drama queen, but this is as Gilbert and Sullivan intended. No less earnest in her love for her former pirate, she is constantly drawing forward-thinking lines of battle, but she also defers to the wisdom of the man she idolizes. Iole infuses the role with self-aware humor and somehow brings nuance to famous operatic cadenzas.
Montes is a study in contrasts. She is the hopeful spinster who deliberately deceives a man twenty-six years her junior, but when scorned, she becomes a satirical powerhouse. Like any good nursemaid, Montes is forever teaching her charge a lesson and sometimes takes indecent glee in the process.
Last among the principal players is the one person to outshine every other character. Guter’s energy is endless and adamant, but where he becomes the best part of this production are the moments in which he takes his pride in his position to levels that defy logic. Guter creates the most memorable moments and was well-deserving of the immediate standing ovation given to him by the first formal audience of the production.
There are several more minor characters whose contributions are unforgettable. Samuel (Trent Dahlin) is the lieutenant of the Pirates, but he consistently plays the role as if Frederic has become a favortie younger brother to him. Sisters Edith (Lena Conatser) and Kate (Daria Pilar Redus) fearlessly rally the other wards of General Stanley so that the collective feminism of the group seems to be a solidarity born of frequent good influences.
For this production, the Director is also the Choreographer and Cassie Abate demonstrates an appreciation of and understanding that makes the production unlike any other I have ever seen, though the secrets of this have to be seen to be believed. Music Director and Conducto Brad Carroll carefully coordinates the large-scale numbers while highlighting the individual styles of each soloist in conjunction with Sound Designer Craig Breitenbach. Scenic Designer Jo Winiarski transforms the same space into a ship’s deck, the Cornish coast, and a castle with lighting and a few pieces of scenery that are integrated into the choreography as well. Meanwhile, the audience is able to distinguish asides from dialogue by the shift of Lighting Design by William C. Kirkham. Costume Designer Bill Black keeps the individual flourishes of each character on the move so that, for example, the nightgowns of the daughters in the second act are color-coded to their Victorian dresses in the first and the Pirate King is utterly disoriented when separated from his iconic hat. Voice and Text Coach Philip Thompson ensures that none of the plays on words and inside jokes are lost because of the audience not following the dialogue while Intimacy Director Caitlyn Herzlinger enhances the physical chemistry that is essential for the various love stories in the play. Stage Manager Terence Orleans Alexander ensures that there are no moments in which the performance is inhibited by its layout and equipment.
If you have ever wanted pirates doing trust falls, feminist radicals hindering the course of true love, and boys in blue marching to glory with a shuffle-ball-change, this is the production for you. Audiences of all ages can enjoy it, though it may not be as accessible to young children, but it will be a visually-appealing romp for the whole family. Stop maturing any felonious little plans and get your tickets now for the hit operetta of the summer.
Utah Shakespeare Festival Presents The Pirates of Penzance; Written by William Schwenck Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan.
Randall L. Jones Theater, Shakespeare Ln, Cedar City, UT 84720
Jun 25-Oct 9, 2021, 2 or 8 PM. See the website for details of specific dates.
Tickets: $34-85
Contact: 800-752-9849
www.bard.org
Utah Shakespeare Festival Facebook Page
The Pirates of Penzance Facebook Event
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