Pirates of Penzance, Central Hall
Rating: 
Date: 15/02/07 - 17/02/07
I haven’t laughed as hard at any production as Pirates of Penzance. We meet Frederick, a young man who - due to a misunderstanding - becomes apprentice to the Pirate King, leader of the ‘Pirates of Penzance’. However, with his indentures over, he intends to escape the world of piracy and destroy his former comrades. Having met a beautiful maiden, Mabel, his plan backfires when he finds he was born on a leap year, so will only be freed from his apprenticeship when he is in his 80s.
Witty and irreverent, the production is brimming with humorous dialogue and hilarious songs. The characters possess unique traits, such as the Major General who is knowledgeable about everything except the military and the pirates themselves who don’t live up to their stereotypical swashbuckling and aggression. They release orphans, which of course results in everyone they capture claiming to be parentless.
From inept policemen to the giggling maidens Frederick encounters on shore, the cast worked continually to keep the audience laughing. Perhaps what has contributed to the lasting endurance of Pirates of Penzance is its endearing characters, even the pirates. I came out of Central Hall with a smile on my face and unable to stop singing.
