ENO’s HMS Pinafore ★★★★
Gilbert and Sullivan’s peerless naval satire, ‘HMS Pinafore’, docks at the London Coliseum for the Festive season
We all need some joy in these cold and damp winter months. It helps offset the dark days and gloomy news on our televisions. It’s why pantomimes do so well at this time of year, and why the English National Opera has sailed Cal McCrystal’s production of H.M.S. Pinafore back into its safe haven at the London Coliseum close to Trafalgar Square and Nelson’s Column. This classic Victorian opera, one of the most successful collaborations between Sir Arthur Sullivan (music) and W.S. Gilbert (libretto), promises its audiences a joyous theatrical experience with “charm, wit, and unforgettable tunes”. This Pinafore manages to deliver most of those things, but why is the ENO reviving this particular production after premiering it four years ago? Perhaps in this year of conflict, lamp-post flags and heightened nationalism, we need to be delighted by a jolly musical romp satirising the ups and downs of love, social class and patriotism.
The opera’s set-up is that Captain Corcoran of the Pinafore is a social climber and wants his daughter, Josephine, to marry a significant naval man in the shape of the Rt Hon. Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Admiralty. Josephine feels duty-bound to follow her father’s wishes, but she finds the knight nauseating. Instead she harbours feelings for one of her father’s lowly deckhands, Ralph Rackshaw, and we already know that Ralph shares those feelings. Gilbert and Sullivan cheerfully explore politics, inequality, accidents of birth and snobbery. Through the mocking songs, silly interludes, surprising tap dancing, and numerous colourful side characters, their story unfolds with some twists and turns over two acts to reveal an unbelievably contrived happy ending for all.
Irish director and actor Cal McCrystal (L’elisir d’amore, Laguna Bay, The Merry Widow) is well-known for his comedic directing style, and, along with Toby Davies, he has added sections to the original opera to complement and enhance the narrative – some more effective than others. He uses his experience of working with circus performers to bring out the clown in every character. He explores all of the space above, below and around the enormous stage to deliver comic surprises peppered throughout the show. His additional dialogue gives the appearance of things going wrong on stage, and some of the characters even break the fourth wall to speak to the audience and orchestra, but it’s all planned and well-rehearsed. Before the curtain rises, the audience is treated to a specially written prologue performed by John Savournin (The Pirates of Penzance, Ruddigore, A Midsummer Night’s Dream) as himself and guest star Mel Giedroyc (Great British Bake Off, Light Lunch, Eurovision Song Contest), which lays the path for many of the jokes scattered around the show and for how Ms Giedroyc will approach her two characterisations as the Cabin Boy and Aunt Melanie. It is also a neat device for introducing conductor Matthew Kofi Waldren and the ENO’s 45-piece orchestra before they play.
When the curtain goes up, we see a stage that is decked out courtesy of award-winning Set and Costume Designer takis. He delivers a spectacular nautical set with a ship that fills most of the colossal stage and rotates during some of the funnier musical moments. We are immediately transported back to the 1800s and Portsmouth Harbour. His costumes are full of colour and manage to convey the class differences of the characters very successfully. The chorus and principals inhabit the stage with lively dances and witty songs and surtitles to help the audience appreciate the skewering Victorian lyrics. There is almost too much to watch and listen to across the stage, as little gags often happen behind the main action. The Coliseum is a beautiful space but also a difficult one to project into with the spoken word, and some of the dialogue is difficult to catch at times, which is a shame.
The mellifluous bass-baritone John Savournin, previously introduced during the prologue, is returning to the role of Captain Corcoran. He clearly savours his part as he gently clowns around the stage with the other sailors using a lanky physicality paired with his wonderfully clear and rich voice. He manages to achieve the balance of comedy and pathos to maximum effect. He delivers a lively, whimsical performance, and it is clear why Cal McCrystal has trusted him to also perform the foil to comedian Mel Giedroyc and her daft characters. Ms Giedroyc is wonderfully silly and, thankfully, has a very small singing part. She carries most of the visual gags and is visibly enjoying the pantomime. She misbehaves throughout, providing plenty of slapstick entertainment and boatloads of enthusiasm. She steps in and out of her characters and costumes with the ease of a seasoned stand-up.
A recent graduate of the Royal College of Music International Opera Studio and current Harewood Artist, South Korean soprano Henna Mun is making her ENO debut as Josephine. She delivers her songs with such spirit and determined sweetness. She has a lovely light, lyrical voice and is clearly enjoying the room to express her character’s contrariness. Neal Davis (The Yeoman of the Guard, Così fan tutte, The Magic Flute) brings his bass-baritone voice to the role of Sir Joseph and imbues his character with the right amount of eccentricity, pomposity and ridiculousness. Meanwhile, tenor Thomas Atkins (The Elixir of Love, Das Rheingold) shines as gentle able-seaman Ralph. He embodies the humble and naive sailor with his heartfelt, melodious singing voice. Buttercup, performed by mezzo soprano Rhonda Browne, looks and plays every inch the dame in this panto. She also relishes her comedic moments and is the lynchpin that provides our happy ending amidst the proudly patriotic sailors, sisters, cousins and aunts of the ENO company.
This nautical production is a lot of fun, even if some of the jokes are a little off-quay. Whatever floats your boat, this merry musical ship will have you tapping along with the tunes, laughing at the slapstick, nodding in recognition of the absurdities of British politics highlighted in the lyrics, and happily convinced that love wins through – all by the time you leave the Coliseum.
This pie-in-the-face of jingoism is certainly a bon voyage ★★★★ 4 stars
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