Wiltshire Times
THE Society pulled of another triumph last week with a production of the Pirates of Penzance which was visually captivating and musically exciting. With a keen eye for detail and a brilliantly colourful set, director Paul Butler achieved a fresh, vibrant production without straying far from traditional Gilbert and Sullivan style. Familiar through the strains of pirates, policemen and modest maidens’ choruses may be, this was a joyful reunion with an old friend. With the addition of townsfolk to the cast and clever role splitting, Mr. Butler made good use of a wide age range and filled the stage to a spine-tingling volume in the major choruses. Given the wealth of talent, I was puzzled by the casting of a couple of major characters who lacked the power of voice and presence for their roles. But this could never be said of Carl Neilsen, a swashbuckling babe of a Frederick, and a magnificently foppish Major-General Stanley, played by Phil Courage. A brilliant police sergeant (Pete Grant) and his bumbling coppers were a highlight of the show and the dainty gaggle of daughters delighted both eye and ear. The only occasion the opera did show its age was during the pirates’ unmasking as errant noblemen and re-admission to society because “we love our House of Peers”. It brought the best laugh of the night. Carol Billingham
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