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There seems to be an automatic bias among theatregoers against Gilbert and Sullivan. Many people who have seen past productions that were not filled with operatic singers, or were too heavy-handed in a way that kills the comedy, will write off the entire comic-opera genre. When done right, though, Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operettas are light, airy and enjoyable. Fortunately, with Peter J. Hill's sure hand to guide the rudder, and a cast that recognizes the simplicity and fun of the adventure, TheatreWorks production is one way to overcome the fear of sailing into a Gilbert and Sullivan work.
"H.M.S. Pinafore," famed for its cutesy songs like "I'm Called Little Buttercup," is a little wisp of a script centering on the love of a lowly British masthand who is in love with the Captain's daughter and who is in turn betrothed to the Admiral of the British fleet. It bandies about such serious topics as rank, loyalty and the wisdom of superiors, but never gets too judgmental or dramatic to make the evening anything but fun. The question is asked, "Is it right to marry above or below your station in society if you are truly in love?" The search for the answer to that question is a raucous one, and ultimately everyone finds some type of an answer through the usual "Deus ex machina" that always seems to pop up to give a comedy a happy ending.
Mr. Hill offers a production that is fully aware of it's light bulwark, and uses that to its advantage. Despite the flimsiness of the story, Mr. Hill pulls out the big guns with performers like Royce Lee Briggs as the lowly, smitten Ralph, Kathleen Burger as the adorable Captain's daughter, Josephine, and the absolutely hilarious and nearly scene-stealing Beau Heckman as the evil nihilist Dick Deadeye. The singing and acting abilities of these three top-notch performers make up for some of the shaky vocal and acting performances that pepper the rest of the cast.
The production itself started tentatively, but when Mr. Briggs and Ms. Burger beautifully sang their separate songs of longing for each other halfway through the first act, and with the entrance of the Admiral, weakly sung and but hautily acted by the heavily accented Frank Franco, the show seemed to click together visibly. From that point, the tentative singing of the chorus and the hesitant acting of the other leads jumped up several notches to become buoyant, solid and a joy to witness.
The best part of the evening was Mr. Heckman's evil Dick Deadeye, the sailor with strong feelings against marrying above your station. His performance was sparkling, and he never once dropped character, almost to the point where his shenanigans during group numbers was more interesting to watch than the simple though appropriate choreography by Noel Irick. In a show with more of a plot and drama, this would have been inappropriate, though while weaving through the repetitious music and lyrics in group numbers, this actually helped the show out. Other good performances were found in Mary Reynolds Boykin's presentation of Buttercup, and Terry Hamilton's Captain Corcoran.
Special mentions go to Gregory Jaye for his fabulous set design, which recreated the deck of the Pinafore in a most incredible way, right down to mast and rigging. Also well done was David Wo's lighting design, and the always dependable costume design by Margret Emerson. The period costumes were all colorful and appropriate, and the visual jokes at the end of the play worked perfectly.
TheatreWorks begins it tenth anniversary with an auspicious start. Those with any hesitations about seeing Gilbert and Sullivan 'yet again,' should put those feelings aside and be ready to be pleasantly surprised by the crew of the H.M.S. Pinafore.
Production Details:
"H.M.S. Pinafore" by Gilbert & Sullivan
TheatreWorks, Peoria
815-7930
September 20th-October 13th, 1996
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