Of the Gilbert & Sullivan "big three," which include "H.M.S. Pinafore" and "The Mikado," "The Pirates of Penzance" or "The Slave of Duty" arguably remains the most popular. Full of hummable tunes and surefire comic shtick, the story of a fellow trapped by the obligation of his indentured servitude (and an outrageous plot twist) has been tickling audiences for close to a century-and-a-half. Vintage G&S with a typically absurd ending, "Pirates" ticks all the boxes.
San Francisco-based Lamplighters Music Theatre recently hoisted the Jolly Roger in Walnut Creek to start a four-city run that sailed to Mountain View next, and opens this week at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco. The hardy but softhearted buccaneers end their current voyage at Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center on Aug. 25-26.
Nicolas Aliaga Garcia, from Pocket Opera, directs his first Lamplighters production with a nod to #MeToo, emphasizing the late-19th-century model of the "New Woman." Major-General Stanley's winsome wards are every bit as adventurous as the pirates confronting them. They still admire a well-turned moustache and masculine beauty, but brook no guff from any man. The pirates have met their match and surrender willingly, with renewed loyalty for Queen and Country.
The director's approach is less revisionist than smartly contemporary. The assortment of characters remains formulaic but unobjectionable, and Gilbert's women are uncommonly spunky anyway. Aliaga only highlights their resourcefulness.
Of course, there is the usual battle-ax on hand, but she always maintains her self-respect, and the curtain rarely falls on an unhappy face. In this production, the belligerent woman changes from frump to femme fatale between acts, and out-pirates the pirates in the end.
Aliaga has wisely discerned between freshening and meddling. The Company's 2016 production of "The Mikado" moved the action from Japan to Italy in an ill-conceived attempt at political correctness. Inserting Suffragette banners and costumes decades before the movement actually became widespread isn't as jarring. The authors would probably have approved, and even purist Savoyards will enjoy the heightened relevance.
The essential ingredients for any successful G&S interpretation are the Lamplighters' trademark, and Aliaga makes the most of his quality resources. The painterly scenery by set designer Peter Crompton frames the action with period charm, and the gorgeous costumes by Miriam Lewis, with hair and wig design by Kerry Rider-Kuhn, perfectly accent the pretty stage picture. Lighting designer Brittany Mellerson's sudden shifts in color are attractive, meant to emphasize drama, but often unsubtle.
The whole shebang could be done at lecterns when the musical values are so high. There isn't a weak link in the ensemble, from the richly sonorous musicians in the pit through the characterful soloists and well-drilled chorus onstage. Conductor/Music Director David Drummond has built an international reputation, and his Lamplighters debut signals the start of a fine relationship.
The vocally taxing principal roles of Frederic, Ruth, and Mabel are double-cast throughout the run. At the first matinee in Walnut Creek, tenor Michael Desnoyers, mezzo-soprano Gwendolyn Reid Kuhlmann and soprano Erin O'Meally filled their parts without a trace of jitters.
Desnoyers portrays the conflicted slave-to-duty Frederick with a nice blend of wit and innocence. His clear voice pairs well with the lovely nuanced tone of Erin O'Meally's resolutely sympathetic Mabel. Her coloratura in "Poor wandering one!" is both ravishing and droll. Their parts are doubled by Carmello Tringali and Julia Mulholland.
Gwendolyn Reid Kuhlmann was Ruth at the opening matinee. I have seen alternate Deborah Rosengaus in the role and worried that memories of her performance (really funny, wacky and sexy) might have spoiled me. Kuhlmann starts out looking and acting frowzier, but her transformation during intermission equals Rosengaus' va-va-voom. Her Ruth is a bit of a dominatrix by Act II, and she sings with full-throated power.
Jonathan Spencer is beginning his 29th Lamplighters season. His Pirate King (it is a glorious thing to be) commands the stage with brusque charm. Another Company veteran, F. Lawrence Ewing is the glib model of a modern Major-General. When they face off in Act I for some silly word-play we are in G&S heaven.
Charles Martin is an engaging deep-voiced and rubber-legged Sergeant of Police. He has shown his versatility many times before, and has also been a dashing Pirate King. Leading his uniformed cronies "With cat-like tread" in Act II (you may recognize it as "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here"), he had the audience roaring with laughter.
As the Major-General's other daughters, Melissa Sondhi, Kristin Avila and Ashley Chen (debut) looked and sounded perfect in their nicely detailed archeologist, geologist, and botanist costumes.
Info: www.lamplighters.org