© Abingdon Operatic Society 2009 - 10

Email: webmaster@abingdonoperatic.co.uk

Music by Arthur Sullivan

Lyrics & libretto by W. S. Gilbert

First performance:

Bijou Theatre, Paignton, Devon

30 December 1879

AOS production team:

Director - Andrew Walter

Musical Director - Nick Planas

Choreographer - Teresa Miller

Here’s Jon English as the Pirate King in a much-acclaimed Australian TV production of the show. It shows what fun John Wilkes might be able to have with it, although I’m not sure Health and Safety will let him swing over the audience like that...

Coming to Abingdon - Monday 25th October to Saturday 30th October 2010

Principal Characters:

• Frederic - George Riddell
• Mabel - Joy Skeels
• The Pirate King - John Wilkes
• Major General Stanley - Kevin Pope
• Ruth - Lorna Stevenson
• Sergeant of Police - Phil Hughes
• Edith - Lydia Finch
• Kate - Lynne Winter
• Isabel - Rebecca Peberdy
• Samuel - John Gale

From the 1880 D'Oyly Carte Opera Company production, here’s the Pirate King, played by Richard Temple. Hmmm, nice skirt, Richard.

Here’s the last AOS production in 1985, with Roger Mitty as the Pirate King and Pauline Alderman as Ruth, the Pirate Maid. Where’s the skirt, Roger?

AOS make a welcome, riotous return to Gilbert & Sullivan for the first time since 2005’s Mikado, with this classic musical romp.

In a nutshell, it’s the story of Frederic, who has been apprenticed to a motley crew of pirates from childhood.  Now, having reached the age of 21, he is free to return to land and ease his conscience by bringing the pirate band to justice. On shore he meets Mabel, a beautiful young woman, with whom he instantly falls in love.  When the pirates return and capture Mabel and her sisters, it falls to their father, the Major-General, to free them by working on the pirates’ soft spot for orphans.

Unfortunately, Frederic discovers that his birthday falls on 29th February, a leap year, and so he still has many years to serve with the pirates in order to work out his time.  Will Frederic and Mabel ever be together and will the not-so-wicked pirates be brought to the scaffold by the brave policemen?  There’s only one way to find out.  Come along to the auditions and join the pirate band or pretty women who’ll take part in this fantastic show.