HMS Pinafore, Bournemouth Gilbert & Sullivan Operatic Society, Lighthouse, Poole (From Bournemouth Echo)

HMS Pinafore, Bournemouth Gilbert & Sullivan Operatic Society, Lighthouse, Poole

7:56am Thursday 29th October 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

THE good ship Pinafore weighs anchor in Poole this week, and with Alan Spencer once again at the helm it’s a very tight ship indeed.

Although a few regular faces appear to be on shore leave, they have been replaced by a number of new ones to swell the ranks.

Most notable of these are Jessica Glass as a lovely, animated Little Buttercup, Christopher Gascoyne a rich-voiced Boatswain, and James Collins, whose youth, good looks and obvious talent make him an ideal Ralph Rackstraw.

Charlotte Deverill is a delight as Josephine, John Gerken a splendidly triangular Dick Deadeye and Ian Metcalfe a commanding Captain Corcoran, while Robin Lavies gives a show-stealing performance as a Sir Joseph Porter who, unlike Captain Corcoran, definitely cannot claim that he is never never sick at sea – as the boatswain’s jacket would testify.

There are some lovely touches in the production, and I especially liked the captain’s dinner-party scene at the beginning of act two.

There’s some nifty tap-style dancing, too, in the first act finale.

Chorus singing is, as ever, strong, although the jury is still out on the girls’ uniformity of dress, which, for me, tended to blur individuality.

The ship is open to visitors, so I suggest a visit.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)