2 weeks Ago By Markos Papadatos
On April 24th, “Pirates! The Penzance Musical” officially opened at the Todd Haimes Theatre in New York City. It stars Ramin Karimloo, Jinkx Monsoon, and David Hyde Pierce, among other talented actors and ensemble membes. This Roundabout Theatre production of “Pirates! The Penzance Musical” was eloquently directed by Scott Ellis with choreography from Warren Carlyle.
This new re-imagined adaptation is by Rupert Holmes with musical direction by Joseph Joubert (who also was responsible for the orchestrations along with Daryl Waters). Gilbert & Sullivan’s pirate ship docks in New Orleans in this jazzy-bluesy vision of the crowd-pleasing classic, in an outrageously clever romp sizzling with Caribbean rhythms and French Quarter flair. With the tongue-twisting Major-General (played superbly by David Hyde Pierce), the rabble-rousing Pirate King (Ramin Karimloo), newly-imagined young lovers, daring daughters, footloose pirates and fleet-footed police, there’s a shipload of musical comedy delights on board to dazzle first-timers and G&S aficionados alike.
Ramin Karimloo is commanding as the Pirate King, and he does it all: act, sing, dance, jump, squat, tumble...
you name it in this physically taxing role. Jinkx Monsoon is witty, refreshing and flamboyant as Ruth while Nicholas Barasch is a revelation as Frederic. Everybody in this diverse and gifted cast brings something unique to the table.
The choreography by Warren Carlyle is exceptional, and equal in excellence to that of the Kuperman Brothers of “The Outsiders.” “The Major-General’s clever, rapid-fire lyrics stole the show for me — he was definitely my favorite actor,” Gabby Gabriel, fan and attendee, exclaimed. Overall, “Pirates! The Penzance Musical” is a stimulating, fun, and entertaining new Broadway production.
It is high-adrenaline, hilarious and most importantly, feel-good escapism. Look for it to be a major contender at this year’s Tony Awards. It garners 4.
5 out of 5 stars. Well done. Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News.
Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 22,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.
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