Pirates of Penzance reworked for Empire

THE Pirates of Penzance will sail into port next week when the Empire Theatre’s major production for 2018 opens on Wednesday.

The highly anticipated production runs for just one week, with five performances to choose from.

The musical stars internationally successful singer and actor Michael Cormick as the Pirate King, Brisbane actor Alex Woodward as Frederic and rising opera star Sophie Salvesani as Mabel, as well as local favourites Matthew Collins and Angela Ponting as highly comedic characters Major-General Stanley and hard-of-hearing nursemaid Ruth.

Director Terence O’Connell said the show was a funny and magical piece of entertainment.

“This story is really about the meeting of two different worlds,” he said.

“You have the world of the pirates and the upper-class visitors, the modern Major-General and his seven daughters.

“There are battles between them and, of course, in the end things turn out extremely well but it’s about the meeting of these worlds and how they both learn something from each other.

“Gilbert and Sullivan shows are still incredibly popular around the world and something doesn’t last that long if it’s not great.

“This version was adapted and performed by Simon Gallaher and John English for a number of years.

“We have re-staged it, re-choreographed it, all the costumes have been reworked and we have got a pretty amazing lighting plan worked out for this as well.

“It’s comic and extravagant and extremely fast-moving and it does have beautiful melodies played by a big orchestra, which you don’t see a lot of these days.”

O’Connell said he was very happy with the work of the cast.

“Sophie Salvesani, who is playing Mabel, is extraordinary and has really got a voice, along with Alex Woodward, playing Frederic, as the young lovers they are both amazing,” he said.

“Michael as the Pirate King is just great and also Matt Collins and Angela Ponting as the two comic actors are, again, very funny.

“We are certainly laughing a lot, so we hope that the audience will too.”

Pirates of Penzance runs from March 14–17. For tickets phone 1300 655 299 or visit www.empiretheatre.com.au.