Toronto Operetta Theatre opened a run of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance at the Jane Mallett Theatre last night.  Bill Siva-Marin’s production is competent and very traditional with some strong performers in the key roles.  It won’t leave you with any new insights into the piece but it’s a well executed production which is lots of fun and very funny in places.  When I say traditional I mean pirates in pantomime pirate dress, maidens in some stereotypically Victorian maiden garb and a Major General in a cod colonial uniform.  Tnere are the traditional mild updatings to the libretto including a couple of rather well crafted verses in the MG’s patter song that reference the Glorious Leader of our neighbour to the south.  There are also a few nice touches.  In the second act the MG spends much of the time clutching a bust of one of his purchased ancestors and the “catlike tread” scene is noisily anything but.  That said, the choreography and blocking are pretty formulaic though there are some deft touches in the Personenregie.  Mabel’s body language in Oh! Is there not one maiden breast? is worth a look.

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