Overheard at the opening night performance of “H.M.S. Pinafore”: “They really pulled out the talent on this one.”
We couldn’t have said it better.
From the Boatswain to Buttercup, this Northwest Savoyards production, along with the one-act appetizer of “Trial by Jury,” overflowed with talent and did pure justice to the genius that is Gilbert and Sullivan.
The singers skillfully sailed through the complex and chewy lyrics of Gilbert, road the highs and lows of Sullivan’s musical score like champion swimmers and kept this boat ride going at a good clip with neither a squall nor a sour note. Definitely three cheers and one cheer more for this Savoyards musical twofer that runs through Nov. 4 at the Snohomish County PUD auditorium in Everett.
The double feature began with Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Trial by Jury,” a parody of the legal system. The case is delightfully besot with corruption and caddish and coquetish behavior. The defendant is Edwin, a man who made the mistake of proposing marriage when he actually just wants to play the field. His jilted lover, Angelina, has sued him for breach of promise. After one of those unexpected courtroom twists, the matter is resolved, but not without the cast first belting out the grand musical number “A Nice Dilemma We Have Here.”
Also before all is well, there’s a hilarious scene where Edwin is given a bottle of liquor by the judge to see if he will indeed, when tipsy, thrash poor Angelina. “Let’s make him tipsy, gentlemen, and try!” Everyone, except for Edwin, objects.
Edwin was all melodious voice and farcical facial expressions and played remarkably by Savoyards newcomer Chris Maley. Lisa Thiroux wrapped Angelina in a package that was red-haired and Rubenesque but still demur. The jury of all men were just so darn cute in their bowler hats and black glasses. And all rise for the performance of Chris Peterson, who gave us a very funny and scoundrelly judge.
This legal farce was followed by “Pinafore,” a story about how love trumps the social caste system, but only because of a little luck and a great big mistake.
This opera is set aboard the queen’s ship, the Pinafore, and involves a lowly but charming and smart sailor, Ralph Rackstraw, who is in love with the captain’s daughter, Josephine. Turns out the daughter loves him too, but can’t marry below her station and is instead being set up by her dad, Capt. Corcoran, to marry the first lord of the admiralty, Sir Joseph Porter. Meanwhile, Little Buttercup is strutting about the ship, selling “jacky” and such to the sailors and pining for the captain, and Dick Deadeye is such a bitter sailor that he makes it his mission to try to spoil as much as he can for everyone.
You shouldn’t know any more than that before diving into the show because then the ending would indeed be spoiled. For those of you who already know what to expect, know that you will still have an unspoiled evening of entertainment listening to this cast of characters.
The leading roles of Ralph and Josephine are played by Mark Lew and Ji Sun Lee. Lew has spent years as an opera singer and has been in more than 50 musicals. The Savoyards, and therefore the rest of us, are lucky to have an actor with this kind of stage presence, often producing an incredibly mirthy smile, and range. Lee’s Josephine was certainly a gal torn apart but also capable of stating the obvious with a deadpan delivery: “Sir Joseph’s attentions nauseate me. I know that he is a truly great and good man, for he told me so himself.”
Lee also could hit the high notes like ringing a bell.
Buttercup was played by Victoria Rimoczi, whose classically trained voice was as smooth and clear as clarified butter and was the deliciously saucy one aboard this saucy ship. Craig Cantley gave us an absolutely jocular Capt. Corcoran, and we’re not surprised to learn that he recently had the chance to join the chorus of the Seattle Opera. Dick Deadeye, plain and triangular, was played dead-on by Mark Abel.
Though the titles of the songs from “Pinafore” don’t exactly roll off the tongue, they are well known, thanks in part to a not-so-long-ago episode of “The Simpsons” in which Bart is kidnapped by Sideshow Bob and he stalls for time by doing the whole “Pinafore” production. While listening to the songs, you’ll catch yourself humming, bobbing your head and tapping your toes.
The costumes for “Pinafore” were lovely and skillfully crafted. The set of the ship was done with a somewhat technological touch. Considering the opera was first produced in 1878, some might find this a bit of a disconnect, but it hardly dims the shining performance of this talented cast.
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