‘Pirates’ a perfect storm of entertainment
Published 5:17 pm Wednesday, November 5, 2008
EVERETT — Call it winning the trifecta of musical theater.
The highly talented Northwest Savoyards Musical Theatre Society performing at the art-deco inspired historic Everett Theatre and accompanied by the accomplished Everett Symphony Orchestra.
It’s a kind of three-at-a-time combination that can’t be beat.
The Savoyards’ “The Pirates of Penzance” plays for one more weekend Nov. 14-16.
“Pirates” is the Savoyards’ first production at Everett Theatre, which is the group’s new home. The Savoyards played for many years at the Snohomish County Public Utility District Auditorium, a perfectly adequate setting, indeed. But there’s something truly special about having this Gilbert and Sullivan-based musical troupe performing in a real theater. It seems meant to be.
Add in the Everett Symphony members, ably led in this production by debut musical director Josh Zimmerman, and voila: a big-city musical theater experience is born. In the future, Everett Symphony is planning on also calling Everett Theatre its new home.
“Pirates of Penzance” might have been just the musical to start off this new life for the Savoyards. It’s much beloved of the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas with lots of recognizable tunes and a rollicking story line.
The story focuses on the young pirate Frederic, who was apprenticed as a child to a band of far-too-sweet orphaned pirates by a hard-of-hearing nanny whose original instructions were to have the boy apprenticed as a pilot. Frederic made the best of it, but still he was quite happy to be freed from his indenture on his 21st birthday.
Meanwhile, the pirates encounter a Major General and want to relieve him of his large contingent of unwed daughters. The Major lies to be spared, and tells the tender-hearted pirates that he, too, is an orphan. He and his daughters are freed. But the Major is distraught from telling his lie.
Frederic, who has fallen in love with daughter Mabel, vows to fight the pirates. Too bad, though, that the pirates discover Frederick was born in a leap year and he has to resume his indenture. In the end, the pirates surrender in the name of the queen — “No members of the common throng; they are all noblemen who have gone wrong” — the Major is spared and the boys get the girls.
“Pirates” is packed with a full cast of 36 — not counting the understudies — and a talented team they be, each and every one. Certain standouts include:
The operatically powerful Dave Holden is delightful and debonair as The Pirate King. We hope to see him more after “Pirates,” his first performance with the Savoyards.
The charming and adorable Matt Lauckhart is Frederic to a tee, brimming with duty and a certain naiveté.
The dependable Laura Abel delivers marvelously in both song and comedy as Ruth.
Veteran actor Don Speirs brings a riotously regal, though buffoonish dressed, Major General Stanley to life like we’ve never seen, complete with ridiculously cute rabbit slippers.
And Gene Ma, whose gloriously deep-voiced Sergeant inspires awe.
Reporter Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424 or goffredo@heraldnet.com.
