The Pirates of Penzance stage production on DVD

Someone needs to help me find some Gilbert and Sullivan productions on DVD that will capture the fun I remember doing these shows back in the day. I've struggled through pedantic BBC television production, an Australian Opera G&S that seems stellar by contrast, and now an Australian television taping of a stage version of Pirates of Penzance which continues to have me scratching my head asking "Don't some good versions of G&S exist"?

This version of Pirates has a lot going on, and some of it is not without positive attributes. My primary beef is that is too much going on with this production--too many jokes, too many asides, too many liberties with text and score.

The music-making seems undervalued and continually sacrificed for the sake of a joke. This starts with the "orchestra" consisting of perhaps four synthesizers, rather than actual instruments. I want my operetta with something other than keyboard accompaniment, even if that keyboard is imitating, strings, or brass or woodwinds. Yes, I am an old bitty.

The singing is sometimes good. Helen Donaldson as Mabel has a small voice, but is able to do all the coloratura, which is nice to hear. Simon Gallaher as Frederick also has the full range to sing this role. Jon English as the Pirate King and Derek Metzger as the Major-General do more joke-making than singing, and I tired quickly of both performances. Mr. English seems to be a sort of star in Australia as a rock musician and musical theater performer with credits in Jesus Christ Superstar, Blood Brothers, and several G&S productions. He has much of that 70s hair band look down. Of course, that was 20 years before this show was filmed and age is not often kind to 70s rockers.

I liked the physical production of this show. The set looks like it could be in some English rural town hall production (which I mean in a charming way), and the costumes are first-rate. I don't know exactually why the chorus of women is only allowed to be three (I guess the Blendettes, or whatever their name is only gets to be three), but I think it's cheating. You need a daughter for every pirate, or someone's going to be off in a corner at the end, or off with another pirate (hmmm).

The endless encores of "With Catlike Tread" made me want to throw something at my television. Ditto, the "Hooked on Pirates" medley that accompanied the bows. Parts of this production show up on YouTube and if I had been smart enough to see those bits, I would have skipped the whole show. Believe me, I'll tread cat-like before I watch another G&S production from this team.

Pirates of Penzance
Music by Arthur Sullivan
Libretto by William Gilbert
Premiered in 1879
This productions filmed for Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 1994 based on the touring production of the same year.
Directed by Peter Butler
Cast: Simon Gallaher, Jon English, Helen Donaldson, Toni Lamond, Derek Metzger