.Theater: The magic formula

by Charles Brousse

Old prejudices, like old habits, are hard to change—so it comes as a big surprise when a single incident alters solidly established beliefs.

Over the years, I’ve seen a number of operettas written by the famous 19th century English team of librettist W.S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan. They include The Mikado, H.M.S. Pinafore, Iolanthe, and the subject of this review, The Pirates of Penzance (twice). With each viewing, my resistance to the G&S formula of silly plots, dated jokes, cartoonish characters and shrilly rendered patter songs grew, to the point that when the moment came to attend Ross Valley Players’ production of Pirates, I wondered if I was capable of giving it a fair appraisal.

It would not be an understatement to say that RVP’s rendering of this chestnut was a revelation. A few minutes into the show, I realized that, by luck or by design (I’m inclined to the latter), the artists involved in this local community theater effort found the vital ingredients that had largely been overlooked in the professional productions I had witnessed. And the really wondrous part was that it was taking place on the homely little stage of RVP’s Barn Theatre at a tiny fraction of the professionals’ cost.

So, what was the magic formula? Three words: Tempo, clarity, warmth. Stage director James Dunn and music director Paul Smith share the credit for liberating Pirates from a tradition that pursued laughs by keeping songs and dialogue moving at breakneck speed, accompanied by an ample helping of physical schtick. Under this approach, the importance of the score is greatly reduced and the show becomes a kind of wacky cartoon that happens to last (for the non-committed) a couple of tedious hours.

Dunn and Smith turn the equation backwards. Slowing everything down a notch results in improved diction during both solo and ensemble numbers, allowing the audience to engage more readily. It also has the unexpected effect of revealing the attractiveness of Sullivan’s melodies, which are too frequently dismissed as parodies. The result is that for the first time ever in my experience with G&S, the production clearly links Sullivan to the grand tradition of European comic opera begun by Mozart, Donizetti and Rossini.

Finally, we come to that elusive ingredient which I have called ‘warmth.’ Too often, the performers—whipped along by metronome-driven directors—have seemed mechanical. This is definitely not the case at RVP. Joni DiGabriele’s Mabel, the love interest of young Frederic (Cordell Wesselink), whose rebellion against his pirate comrades is the play’s main plotline, has a gorgeous, round-edged soprano to go along with her physical beauty. Her sisters (Kathryn McGeorge, Chloe Hunwick and Arden Kilzer), dressed in virginal white, join with her in several appealing ensembles. Their doting but rather addled father is played in fine style by Norman A. Hall. Phillip Percy Williams is a jolly Pirate King and both the Police and Pirate’s choruses provide some entertaining full-throated nonsense. With a cast of 22 and a large production team, it isn’t possible to mention everyone, but they all contributed to the evening’s success.

One further observation: I doubt that this transformative version of Pirates could have occurred without the participation of Paul Smith, whose operatic background at the College of Marin, musical sensitivity and golden touch as the show’s piano accompanist gave fresh luster to what easily could have been just another production of a tired warhorse. Even if I never see another one like it, this will have been a lasting gift.Y

NOW PLAYING: The Pirates of Penzance runs through August 16 at The Barn Theatre, Marin Art and Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross. For more information, call 415/456-9555, or visit rossvalleyplayers.com.