The Pirates of Penzance Revival 1884

Ages: 8+
Opened: December 23, 1884

The Pirates of Penzance - 1884 - West End History , Info & More

Savoy Theatre
Savoy Ct, London WC2R 0ET, United Kingdom London

No Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera boasts as many walk-away tunes as The Pirates of Penzance, the only collaboration of the pair to premiere on Broadway, and not in England. Building on the success of the previous year’s H.M.S. Pinafore, but trading—as their principal “serious” focus—the rigors of naval discipline for the obligations of duty, G&S manage to burlesque their normal share of popular institutions, including the army, the police, and operatic sopranos. Pirate apprentice Frederic, at age 21, has faithfully served out his indentures and, replete with a sense of duty, joins the police force, determined to exterminate his old mates. He falls in love with Mabel, the first girl he sees, but the daughter of Major-General Stanley, who himself is the target of a pirate revenge plot. Plans go awry when it is revealed that, thanks to a leap-day birth, Frederic is really only five and one-quarter years old. The engaging musical score includes some of the catchiest music in the G&S canon: Mabel’s pyrotechnic “Poor, wandering one;” the tongue-twisting patter song “I am the very model of a modern major-general;” “A policeman’s lot;” “Climbing over rocky mountain”—a survivor from Thespis, G&S’s lost first stage work; and “With catlike tread,” which, more than a quarter-century later, was given new words as “Hail, hail, the gang’s all here.” At The Egyptian Theatre.

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Critic's Choice: What's Playing in Tennessee? Nashville Theater Calendar for August 18
by Jeffrey Ellis - Aug 16, 2017

Feeling the urge to let your imagination run wild, your spirit to soar or to just leave the world in which you live and go on an adventure? Sounds like a trip to the theater is in order! Luckily, companies all over the Volunteer State have been hard at work, creating new productions to transform and to transport, shows that will entertain you this summer. That's where THE NASHVILLE THEATER CALENDAR comes in handy: Peruse our listings every week to find out what shows you should see!

Critic's Choice: What's Playing in Tennessee? Nashville Theater Calendar for August 9
by Jeffrey Ellis - Aug 9, 2017

Feeling the urge to let your imagination run wild, your spirit to soar or to just leave the world in which you live and go on an adventure? Sounds like a trip to the theater is in order! Luckily, companies all over the Volunteer State have been hard at work, creating new productions to transform and to transport, shows that will entertain you this summer. That's where THE NASHVILLE THEATER CALENDAR comes in handy: Peruse our listings every week to find out what shows you should see!

The McGill Savoy Society to Present THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, Opening Tonight Through 2/18
by Noelle Hannibal - Feb 10, 2017

The McGill Savoy Society will be presenting Gilbert and Sullivan's THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE  at Moyse Hall, McGill Arts Building, 555 Sherbrooke Street West from February 10, 2017 through February 18, 2017.

Barrington Stage to Begin Renovations on New Wolfson Theater Center This August
by BWW News Desk - Jul 19, 2016

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Tristan Wilson, announced today the creation of The Wolfson Theater Center, at 122 North Street, Pittsfield, MA.

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Perform in Basilica Tonight
by BWW News Desk - Nov 13, 2015

MILWAUKEE, WIS. 10/19/2015- The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, under the direction of Francesco Lecce-Chong, present MSO at the Basilica tonight and tomorrow, November 13 & 14, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. at the Basilica of St. Josaphat.

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Chorus to Perform in Basilica, 11/13
by Matt Smith - Oct 21, 2015

MILWAUKEE, WIS. 10/19/2015– The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, under the direction of Francesco Lecce-Chong, present MSO at the Basilica on November 13 & 14, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. at the Basilica of St. Josaphat. This concert is a community concert and all tickets are priced at $5. The concerts will feature Bruckner's Te Deum in C major, along with Górecki's Symphony No. 3 “Symphony of Sorrowful Songs” and his choral work Totus Tuus.

BWW Interviews: Carol and Bill McAndrew of PRINCESS IDA
by Cassandra Sandros - May 14, 2014

The story is about a prince and princess from two different kingdoms who were wed at infancy. While the prince anxiously anticipates meeting his now 21 year old bride, she has started a women's university, preaching the virtues of woman over man, and that 'man is nature's sole mistake'. When Princess Ida does not show up as agreed upon, Prince Hilarion and a couple of friends infiltrate the university as new students, and hilarity ensues. The two kings threaten war to solve the problem, the prince offers love. Ida must decide whether she can continue her noble experiment.

BWW Reviews: PRINCESS IDA (West Michigan Savoyards)
by Cassandra Sandros - Apr 7, 2014

A Gilbert and Sullivan classic, first produced at the Savoy Theatre in 1884, Princess Ida is a humorous medieval-themed romp that addresses the topsy-turvy philosophies of gender roles, relationships, women's liberation, and of course, love.

BWW Reviews: PRINCESS IDA Produced by Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Austin is Hysterical and Current
by Jeff Davis - Jun 16, 2013

There's certainly a reason why the works of Gilbert and Sullivan have remained a fixture in popular culture for nearly 150 years. Their operas are fun, frivolous, and tinted with social and political satire. Though Princess Ida, their eighth operatic collaboration, may not be as well-known as some of their other works such as The Pirates of Penzance, H.M.S. Pinifore, or The Mikado, it is just as silly, entertaining, and smart, as the current production by The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Austin wonderfully illustrates.

Comedy Rules Northern Stage's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, Now thru 2/24
by BWW News Desk - Feb 6, 2013

Few plays have stood the test of time in the way that The Importance of Being Earnest has. Written in 1895, this 'Serious Comedy for Trivial People,' as playwright Oscar Wilde termed it, offers situations and comedy that remain timeless and fresh. The characters are memorable, from the careless and self-centered Jack to the innocent and impressionable Cecily. Wilde skewers Victorian society in a manner that leaves audiences laughing from start to finish.

Comedy Rules Northern Stage's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, 2/6-24
by BWW News Desk - Jan 29, 2013

Few plays have stood the test of time in the way that The Importance of Being Earnest has. Written in 1895, this 'Serious Comedy for Trivial People,' as playwright Oscar Wilde termed it, offers situations and comedy that remain timeless and fresh. The characters are memorable, from the careless and self-centered Jack to the innocent and impressionable Cecily. Wilde skewers Victorian society in a manner that leaves audiences laughing from start to finish.

The Finborough Theatre Presents Gilbert and Sullivan's THE GRAND DUKE,
by Harmony Wheeler - Mar 13, 2012

The New Actors Company in association with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre presents THE GRAND DUKE. The Finborough Theatre's 'Celebrating British Music Theatre' series continues with the first fully staged professional UK production of Gilbert and Sullivan's final operetta, The Grand Duke, since the original 1896 production. It opens at the Finborough Theatre for a strictly limited run of six Sundays and Mondays from Sunday, 1 April 2012.

Celebration Theatre Presents American Premiere Of Joe DePietro's F*CKING MEN 9/9-10/25
by BWW News Desk - Oct 25, 2009

Celebration Theatre in association with Calvin Remsberg presents the second show of their 2009-2010 season, the American premiere of f**kING MEN. f**kING MEN is written by Joe DiPietro and will be directed by Calvin Remsberg. f**kING MEN will preview on Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10 at 8pm and open on Friday, September 11 and run through Sunday, October 25 at Celebration Theatre, 7051B Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

Celebration Theatre Presents American Premiere Of Joe DePietro's F*CKING MEN 9/9-10/25
by BWW News Desk - Sep 9, 2009

Celebration Theatre in association with Calvin Remsberg presents the second show of their 2009-2010 season, the American premiere of f**kING MEN. f**kING MEN is written by Joe DiPietro and will be directed by Calvin Remsberg. f**kING MEN will preview on Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10 at 8pm and open on Friday, September 11 and run through Sunday, October 25 at Celebration Theatre, 7051B Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

Celebration Theatre Presents American Premiere Of Joe DePietro's F*CKING MEN 9/9-10/25
by Charlie Piane - Aug 21, 2009

Celebration Theatre in association with Calvin Remsberg presents the second show of their 2009-2010 season, the American premiere of f**kING MEN. f**kING MEN is written by Joe DiPietro and will be directed by Calvin Remsberg. f**kING MEN will preview on Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10 at 8pm and open on Friday, September 11 and run through Sunday, October 25 at Celebration Theatre, 7051B Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

The Pirates of Penzance FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the songs are in The Pirates of Penzance and what's the order?
Pour, O Pour The Pirate Sherry
When Frederic Was A Little Lad
Oh, Better Far To Live And Die
Oh False One, You Have Deceived Me!
What Shall I Do
Climbing Over Rocky Mountains
Stop, Ladies, Pray!
Oh, Is There Not One Maiden Breast
Poor Wandering One
What Ought We To Do?
How Beautifully Blue The Sky
Stay, We Must Not Lose Our Senses
Here's a First Rate Opportunity
Hold, Monsters!
I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major-General
Oh, Men Of Dark And Dismal Fate
Oh, Dry The Glistening Tear
Then Frederic
When The Foeman Bares His Steel
Now For The Pirates' Lair!
When You Had Left Our Pirate Fold
Away, Away! My Heart's On Fire
All Is Prepared
Stay, Frederic, Stay!
No, I Am Brave
When A Felon's Not Engaged In His Employment
A Rollicking Band Of Pirates We
With Cat-Like Tread, Upon Our Prey We Steal
Hush, Hush! Not a Word
Sighing Softly To The River
Now What Is This?
My Eyes Are Fully Open
Sorry Her Lot
Pour, O Pour The Pirate Sherry
When Frederic Was A Little Lad
Oh, Better Far To Live And Die
Oh, False One, You Have Deceived Me
Climbing Over Rocky Mountain
Stop, Ladies, Pray!
Oh, Is There Not One Maiden Breast?
Poor Wandering One
What Ought We To Do?
How Beautifully Blue The Sky
Stay, We Must Not Lose Our Senses
Hold Monsters
I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major-General
Oh, Men Of Dark And Dismal Fate
Oh, Dry The Glistening Tear
Then, Frederic, Let Your Escort Lion-Hearted
When The Foeman Bares His Steel
Now For The Pirates' Lair!
When You Had Left Our Pirate Fold
My Eyes Are Fully Open
Away, Away! My Heart's On Fire!
All Is Prepared
Stay, Frederick, Stay!
Sorry Her Lot
No, I Am Brave!
When A Felon's Not Engaged In His Employment
A Rollicking Band Of Pirates We
With Cat-Like Tread, Upon Our Prey We Steal
Hush, Hush! Not A Word
Sighing Softly To The River
Finale
What productions of The Pirates of Penzance have there been?
The Pirates of Penzance has had 51 productions including Broadway which opened in 1900, Broadway which opened in 1900, Broadway which opened in 1912, Broadway which opened in 1912, Broadway which opened in 1918, Broadway which opened in 1918, Broadway which opened in 1926, Broadway which opened in 1926, Broadway which opened in 1927, Broadway which opened in 1927, Broadway which opened in 1931, Broadway which opened in 1931, Broadway which opened in 1933, Broadway which opened in 1933, Broadway which opened in 1934, Broadway which opened in 1934, Broadway which opened in 1934, Broadway which opened in 1934, Broadway which opened in 1935, Broadway which opened in 1935, Broadway which opened in 1936, Broadway which opened in 1936, Broadway which opened in 1936, Broadway which opened in 1939, Broadway which opened in 1940, Broadway which opened in 1942, Broadway which opened in 1944, Broadway which opened in 1946, Broadway which opened in 1946, Broadway which opened in 1948, Broadway which opened in 1949, Broadway which opened in 1949, Broadway which opened in 1951, Broadway which opened in 1952, Broadway which opened in 1952, Broadway which opened in 1955, Broadway which opened in 1955, Off-Broadway which opened in 1961, Broadway which opened in 1976, Broadway which opened in 1976, Off-Broadway which opened in 1977, Off-Broadway which opened in 1979, Broadway which opened in 1981, Broadway which opened in 1981, US Tour which opened in 1981, West End which opened in 1982, Off-Off-Broadway which opened in 1986, Off-Broadway which opened in 2006, East Haddam, CT (Regional) which opened in 2006, Milburn, NJ (Regional) which opened in 2007 and West End which opened in 2017.

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