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The Pirates of Penzance
OC WEEKLY Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance" is a bubbly masterpiece of wit and whimsy. The solid craftsmanship of this lighter-than-air, circa 1879 operetta makes a lot of modern musical theater seem rickety by comparison. ...Erika Ceporius' Mabel takes the stage by storm. Her
highly trained soprano is glorious ear candy. Mark Swangel's bass-voiced
Sergeant of Police is also outstanding...
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ANAHEIM HILLS NEWS "The Pirates of Penzance" is the latest in a trio of Gilbert and Sullivan pieces presented at The Chance this past year, after "The Mikado" last Spring and "HMS Pinafore" last Summer. Many of the cast members return to give us the same roaring good time as in the other two. The musical opens with the cast giving an overview of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan's lives and times in Victorian England. They weren't friends, Gilbert's caustic style irked the gentler, classically trained musician Sullivan, but they were aware they made a great professional team and co-created fourteen works over a period of thirty years, many of which still remain vibrant more than a century later. The talented crew and cast is directed by Kent Johnson, with Marie Madera as the ebullient choreographer and talented young Erika Ceporius's keen eye as costume designer also doubling as lead ingenue Mabel. The argument is simple by the genre's standards and illustrates the need to adhere to one's moral duty, a value of lackadaisical importance today. Twenty-one year old Frederic was erroneously apprenticed as a pirate instead of a pilot due to his uneducated nurse Ruth's misunderstanding. Having made this promise to his father on his death bed, the young lad thus serves, and the curtain opens with his time almost up. The raunchy pirate gang he grew up with actually has a high code of ethics themselves, refusing to rob any orphans. Young Frederic thus learned honor and duty, but still perceives their profession as disreputable, and attempts to convert them as his final act. They turn him down, they enjoy their gallivanting lifestyle. Ruth is a matronly 47 year old and Frederic has never set eyes upon any other female. He believes her assurances she is as desirable as any 17 year old and he agrees to take her away from the ship where she toiled as a maid. He realizes she deceived him somewhat when his eyes fall upon a bevy of blushing beauties who invade the secluded lair. The six sisters strut on the shore, unaware they are being watched by dashing Frederic. When he reveals himself, they swoon over him, dispelling any myths of repressed Victorian maidens' images. The fairest of them all, however, is Mabel, and it is, predictably, love at first sight. The swashbuckling pirates then descend on the girls and threaten to whisk them away, a fate the protest noisily against their inner longings, I suspect. The arrival of the Major-General puts an end to these high antics, as he is, or so he states, an orphan himself, after a hilarious quidproquo with the word "often." Some time later, the Major-General is overcome by remorse at his stratagem as he sits brooding in the Gothic ruin he purchased, complete with a cemetery full of ancestors. Frederic offers to organize a phalanx of bumbling British Bobbies to mount an assault against the pirates. Before this attack takes place however, Ruth returns with the Pirate King to inform Frederic that there is a slight problem. They have just discovered he indebted to them pirates till his 21st birthday, and it turns out he was born on February 29th of a leap year, thus has just celebrates his 5th birthday. Once again, Frederic is torn by conflicting loyalties. In the final confrontation, the pirates eventually yield to Queen Victoria's name, being, per Ruth, noble men whose ways have gone awry. The real moral of the story lies in Gilbert's contempt for the British Empire's hypocrisies, particularly with elitism and class consciousness, a theme recurrent throughout his work. He is at his cruelest best when poking fun at the inept aristocratic authority of the ruling class. There are unforgettable moments in this production. The raucous pirate scenes explode with energy and are brilliantly choreographed in minute detail culminating in veritable tableaux vivants. The costume palette is dominated by reds and whites, with the ladies bedecked with patent shoes and gloves, and virginal laces, linens and satins under their prim hats and ruffles umbrellas. The mustachioed platoon of constables with their staccato steps are a hoot with their fake self-assuredness and suppressed self-doubt. Erika Ceporius steals the show as usual with her beauty and grace supported by an enchanting voice. Lisa Bergdorf as Ruth and Shayne Mims as Frederic perform a couple of flawless duets. Darren Buckels portrays the Pirate King with dynamism and the appropriate dose of machismo required by the part. It's hard to give credit to everyone for all their good performances, pirates and ladies alike. Mark Swangel is outstanding in his role of the Sergeant of Police with his booming voice and formidable presence. Jenna Kantor imbues her cameo chorus part with great humor. Gerard Reyes performs a tour-de-force with his rendition of "I am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General" at neck-breaking pace. Kudos to Christopher Plotz for the fancy sword work as Samuel. Nautical photographs by George Hagen tie the hallway
with the seafaring production. The Chance continues to bring exceptionally
high caliber work to their small house. This crowd-pleaser is a sure bet
for the entire family looking for a ripping good time locally.
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