Music by Arthur Sullivan. Libretto by W.S. Gilbert. New adaptation by Richard Carroll. Hayes Theatre. 14 Feb – 16 Mar, 2025.
An extra salty adaptation of The Pirates of Penzance by Co-Artistic Director of the Hayes Theatre, Richard Carroll, breathes new life into Gilbert & Sullivan’s timeless comic opera. Respectful yet irreverent, these pirates might surprise you.
Celebrating his 21st birthday, young pirate Frederic (Maxwell Simon) decides to turn his back on his villainous family, led by the loud but soft-hearted Pirate King (Jay Laga’aia), and dedicate himself to becoming an upstanding member of society. The only problem is, he has no idea what that truly means. Fortunately, he finds a guidebook to help him—though, it’s a shame he hasn’t finished reading it yet.
Upon leaving the ship and stumbling ashore, he meets the beautiful and clearly upwardly mobile Mabel (Brittanie Shipway), and the two instantly fall in love. But things are never that simple, especially when Mabel’s father (Trevor Jones) is a Major General who will never accept an ex-pirate as a son-in-law. Plus, there’s the thorny issue of Frederic’s paradoxical birthday to resolve…
It’s all very silly. Not quite Titanique levels of silliness, but still daft in the extreme. Richard Carroll has done an excellent job reworking and refreshing this nearly 150-year-old comedy into a faster-paced, modern show without sacrificing the simple, elegant pleasure of the original. It is, at times, crass and pulls in contemporary pop references, but it’s the juxtaposition of these elements that keeps the laughs bubbling up. To Carroll’s credit, he doesn’t force-feed the audience punchlines either. The show is structured to let the viewers discover the laughs themselves, without missing a beat. It’s good, confident storytelling.
Now, before I go any further, I must inform you that this show commits one heinous crime for which it should be clapped in irons. It underutilises the talented Billie Palin, who plays a range of sidekicks but is the only cast member never to have a featured moment. While almost everyone on stage is pulling double or triple duty (this cast of five is really working hard for that Hayes money), each of them gets a standout number or two. However, Palin is left hustling with a silly moustache for far too long. Give the girl a break!
On a more serious note, this quintet of talents is so unique in their skill sets, and all are comedic stars. The show is a silly joy to watch. Brittanie Shipway shimmers as both Frederic’s nursemaid Ruth and his love interest Mabel. Her vocal delivery slides from operatic to brassy musical theatre with finesse. Maxwell Simon is foppish and foolish, imbuing Frederic with a doe-eyed, idiot’s charm of his own, while Jay Laga’aia overpowers the stage with personality, which compensates for his, um, less refined singing (sorry, but he is the weakest vocalist on stage).
It is Trevor Jones, however, who steals the show, serving as musical director, accompanist, Major General, and a range of smaller roles. From his succession of quick changes behind the piano to his barnstorming rendition of ‘I Am The Very Model of a Modern Major-General’ (with some brilliant new lyrics that unfold like a Russian Matryoshka doll of gags), he is a one-man cabaret powerhouse who keeps the ship moving.
Together, the five cast members form a whirlwind of activity, rarely leaving the stage for more than a moment to quickly change outfits (some very smart costumes by Lily Mateljan). Nick Fry’s set gives us local pantomime vibes (in a good way), covering the side walls with posters of old productions of The Pirates of Penzance and placing the audience in the action at the front. Yes, if you’re sitting in the onstage seats, you will probably get roped in for some low-key comedy at some point.
The Pirates of Penzance holds a very special place in my heart. It was my first ever theatre experience as a child, seeing John English, Simon Gallagher, and Marina Prior in the 1984 production (it was remounted in 1994 & filmed). Sitting in the back of the stadium with my family, it was the first time I fell in love with theatre (I became obsessed with Gilbert & Sullivan afterward). Since then, I’ve seen a number of productions, most of them twee and dull, with the exception of Sasha Regan’s all-male version at Wilton’s Music Hall in London (which I just saw is returning this year). This new version at the Hayes stands among the best.
Purists may baulk at the changes (the original has fallen out of copyright, allowing the creative team to take liberties), but for the rest, this revitalising update keeps the nostalgia intact. Stripping things back to a cast of five makes it perfect for the space at the Hayes Theatre. Then again, if anyone knows the strengths and limitations of the space, it’s Richard Carroll.
Cultural Binge 
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