The British Victorian duo W. S. Gilbert & Sir Arthur Sullivan wrote a whole string of very successful operettas which have always been regarded as some of the campest musical theater ever. With its outrageous characters and songs laden with innuendo, they are ripe for a more tongue-in-cheek production that really re-creates them as we can only imagine they were intended. Hence how much we love Sasha Regan’s award-winning all-male take on THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE. Regan is the Founding Director of Union Theatre in London and has already produced Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado which brought houses down with her all male-cast singing Three Little Maids From School’ “Pirates ” is the tale of Frederic, a pirate’s apprentice who is in love with Mabel, the daughter of Major-General Stanley, but will his leap year birthday prevent him from breaking with duty into the arms of Mabel? Packed with comedy, romance, clumsy policemen, bonkers adventures, and an abundance of hunky men in petticoats, its a sheer joy that will bring a big smile to your face. This production was recorded live at the Palace Theatre London in December, just before Lockdown, and is now available streaming globally from Monday 29th March – Monday 5th April 2021 on www.stream.theatre |
Sasha Regan’s production was first staged at her original 50-seater Union Theatre in Southwark over a decade ago. From day one it became a critically acclaimed overnight hit, winning Best Off-West End production in the 2009 WhatsOnStage Awards. Following several sell-out runs in the UK, the merry band of pirates toured Australia including a three-week run at the Sydney Theatre thanks to Cate Blanchett then the co-artistic director. It enjoyed another sell-out run at Wilton’s Music Hall last year.
