Pirates are coming to the UK
A new musical spectacular based on Gilbert and Sullivan’s hugely popular and universally renowned hit, The Pirates of Penzance.
140 years after was first performed, the most famous comic opera ever written in English returns in a bold re-invention of this widely celebrated show, loved by audiences the world over.
A danced-through musical conceived, directed and choreographed by Daryl Gray with new arrangements and orchestrations by Grammy Award-winner Steve Sidwell.
The story is set on the Cornish coast. Frederic, a pirate apprentice has turned 21 and reminds the pirate king that his apprenticeship is over and, at noon, he will no longer be under obligation to the pirates.
On the same day, he meets and falls in love with Mabel, the youngest daughter of Major- General Stanley, the enemy of the pirates.
To add to Frederic’s woes, he learns that, because he was born on 29 February during a leap year, he has, in fact, only served five of his birthdays and so is still under his contract .
After various mishaps and battles, Frederic wins Mabel, and everyone lives happily ever after.
The Musical was the fifth Gilbert and Sullivan collaboration and introduced the much-parodied “Major-General’s Song”. The D’Oyly Carte Opera Company in Britain along with many other opera companies and repertory companies worldwide performed for the opera over a century.
Modernised productions include Joseph Papp’s 1981 Broadway production, which ran for 787 performances, winning the Tony Award for Best Revival and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical, and spawning many imitations and a 1983 film adaptation.
Pirates remains popular today, taking its place along with The Mikado and H.M.S. Pinafore as one of the most frequently played Gilbert and Sullivan operas.
The new musical will open in the UK in 2019.
At the moment details are somewhat scarce but we will post more news when we have it