The English National Opera at the Coliseum has a new Artistic Director, the relatively inexperienced Daniel Kramer. Like his predecessors he's promising to balance the pioneering with the populist. But mostly the populist. We've previously reported that the vast and beautiful venue will be home to a starry revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical CAROUSEL in the summer.
Before that it's been announced that theatre goers will get another chance to enjoy the company's PIRATES OF PENZANCE by the Victorian writers Gilbert and Sullivan. There ever popular work is best described as operetta, a form of music theatre which employs classical voices to sing what is essentially musical comedy. These works never go out of fashion and directors regularly revamp them with varying levels of success. Like Jonathan Miller's oft revived production of THE MIKADO for the company PIRATES took a lot of money at the box office in its previous runs.
Mike Leigh was an exciting choice of director, he had previously made a successful film about the writers, and the new plays he devises with actors simmer with well observed comedy and prescient points about our world.
It was a little disappointing then to discover his production was rather dull and lacking in directorial flare, imagination and laughs. However a new cast may zap it up a bit and you'll be treated to world class musicians and singers performing the silly tale of an orphan apprenticed to Pirates. Some of the music is sublime, regularly transcending the silly plot.
The company are very excited about the combination of established opera stars and fresh talent who’ll be appearing. Their press release tells us - “The revival will showcase some of Britain’s most exciting emerging operatic talent with ENO Harewood Artists David Webb and Soraya Mafi taking the central roles of the pirate apprentice Frederic and his young love, Mabel. ENO favourite Andrew Shore returns as Major-General Stanley, Ashley Riches performs the role of the Pirate King, Legendary British bass Sir John Tomlinson takes on the role of the bumbling Sergeant of Police, Lucy Schaufer returns to ENO as Ruth, Johnny Herford sings Samuel and new Harewood Artist Katie Coventry makes her ENO debut as Edith. Gareth Jones conducts”
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE returns on Thursday 9 February at 7.30pm at the London Coliseum for 16 performances – 9, 11, 16, 18, 23 February, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25 March, with matinees on 11 and 18 February and 4 March.
There's no doubt English National Opera will be reviving this money spinner regularly and often.
Shows about real life pop and rock artists which include their greatest hits have been big business on Broadway and in London for a decade or so now and are popular with audiences who know they'll hear songs they already love.