HMS Pinafore

For their 70th Anniversary production WNGSS decided to perform HMS Pinafore, a show they have performed seven times before, judging by the audience last night it is still a popular show. I must say that this was an entertaining production.

I had forgotten how long the overture is, with a lot of familiar tunes, reminiscent of other G&S shows, it is over twenty years since I have seen this show. The small orchestra led by Richard Winch was in fine fettle and played well and unobtrusively throughout with just the right sound levels. They rightly received applause at the end of the overture and again for the entr’acte.

Although the Sailor’s Chorus were limited in number, they gave a good sound from the opening number ‘We sail the Ocean Blue’ right through to the finale ‘Oh Joy! Oh Rapture Unforeseen’. The ladies Chorus similarly from ‘Over the Bright Blue Sea’ to the finale, there were many more ladies than men so their sound was gayer and stronger. The harmonies when the two choruses joined together was very good, they also had good movement on stage. It’s not a large stage when the set is added and choreography was well designed and performed allowing the older and less agile to blend into the back ground and detract from the movement. These two choruses did the Company proud what dialogue they had was clearly heard and their costumes, although hired in were well fitted, it not always being the case. With the ladies’ chorus, the colours of red, white and blue melded together well bringing to mind the colours of the Royal Navy Ensign.

There were fine performances from the principals, Julie Bjerregaard as Little Buttercup never disappoints, a good performer on stage, fine singing and a nice clear voice for both singing and dialogue, she trips gracefully around the stage and had two admirable duets with Andy Hiles’s Captain Corcoran ‘Sir, you are Sad’ and ‘Things are seldom what they seem’. Andy too has a presence on stage and knows how to master his role and draw in his audience with a particularly fine performance of ‘Never mind the why and Wherefore’. These two worked well together on stage. Also giving a fine performance in ‘Never mind the why and Wherefore’ was Denise Bridge as Josephine, this was beautifully performed and sung, Denise has a strong voice and sung rather movingly ‘Sorry her Lot who Loves too well’ she has a good stage presence and worked well with her fellow principals. Singing ‘Refrain, Audacious Tar’ with Ralph brought together the two young lovers. Ralph was well played by James Bowman whose principal singing initially led the Sailors Chorus in ‘A Nightingale sang’ and then moved on to four-part harmony and a duet with Josephine, I didn’t think he commanded the stage quite so well until he came out dressed as the captain at the end. It was nice to see Jess Abbott playing Hebe, this role suited her and she made the most of the numbers where she had some principal singing, she worked well with Anil Chakrabarti who played Sir Joseph Porter. I particularly enjoyed Anil’s performance, he has a fine singing voice, singing harmony well together with not only Hebe, but also Captain Corcoran and Josephine. Anil certainly held the attention of the audience whilst he performed, his physicality and his humour were a delight. He has a very mobile face with some lovely facial expressions and he delivered his straight and humorous lines with style, he was to my mind, and the rest of the audience the star of the show.

These principals were supported by Bosuns Mate Bill Bobstay – Terry Kivlin and Steve Scales as Dick Deadeye, here I was unable to see much of the make-up on his face reflecting the dead eye as his hat mostly hid this from view.

Throughout the show the costumes and set were excellent as would be expected with being hired in, also requiring no set changes allowed the show to flow freely with exits and entrances on stage being carefully directed. I enjoyed some of the modern references that had been added to the dialogue and although a 19th Century show much of the dialogue is still very apt in the present day.I found no fault with the lighting or the sound. Debbie should be justly proud of her direction (and presumably choreography) of this production, it was a good show, much enjoyed. I hope she enjoyed it whilst playing her heart out on the percussion in the pit.

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