Pirates! The Penzance Musical is in performances at the Todd Haimes Theatre through July 27.
By Elazar Abrahams
It’s easy to overlook Pirates! The Penzance Musical amid this year’s stacked Broadway lineup that’s filled with celebrities and flashy glitz. It picked up a Tony nomination for Best Revival of a Musical, but otherwise seems to be flying under the radar. That’s frustrating, because this new Roundabout Theatre production is a genuine treat. It’s lively, smart, hilarious, and it proves exactly why the legendary partnership of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s work still deserves a spot on today’s stages.
I saw The Mikado as a kid, and I think it genuinely changed my life. That might sound dramatic, but for a young theatergoer, it was eye-opening to see how funny and clever musical theater could be. That show was my first real encounter with lyrics that felt like puzzles and melodies that twisted and turned to propel plots along. It helped shape my appreciation for musicals that are built with care. Seeing Pirates as an adult reminded me of that same feeling. When a show is written with such intention and craft, it is some of the most transcendent kind of art.
It must also be acknowledged that Pirates of Penzance originally premiered in 1880. That’s a decade before homes started to have electricity and two full decades before the Model T. Here we are, 144 years later, still singing about duty and leap year birthdays. Truly incredible. That’s a level of staying power most modern musicals can only dream of. Take a show like Maybe Happy Ending, which is sweet and heartfelt to be sure, but will anyone be taking their grandchildren to see it in 2080?
This production adds a bit of new flavor to the classic show by setting the action in 19th-century New Orleans, which mostly means some light jazz flavor in the orchestrations and a visual aesthetic that leans into the Big Easy’s southern charm. The choice doesn’t change much about the show’s content, but the ending is totally swapped for something new, borrowing a song or two from Iolanthe and H.M.S. Pinafore (other G&S comic operas). There’s also a framing device where Gilbert and Sullivan appear as characters introducing the show, which I found unnecessary, but harmless.
David Hyde Pierce is absolutely the standout here. His performance as Major General Stanley is everything you want it to be: sharp, silly, and perfectly delivered. His rendition of the whole “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General” shtick is worth the price of admission on its own. That he wasn’t nominated for a Tony is a shame. Pierce’s comedic timing is as good as ever, and he nails every beat with precision.
Ramin Karimloo is a charismatic Pirate King, and Nicholas Barasch brings a sweet earnestness to Frederic. Jinkx Monsoon as Ruth, didn’t entirely land for me. It was unclear if the off-key moments were intentional or just her style, but either way, her delivery was funny and she had plenty of fans in the audience.
This revival also reminds you just how deeply Gilbert and Sullivan’s influence runs. From Stephen Sondheim to Lin-Manuel Miranda, so many great composers are building on what Pirates did first. Fast-paced lyrics, clever rhymes, music that does double duty as plot and punchline. This is where that tradition started.
If you’re a musical theater fan, this is essential viewing. If you’re new to Gilbert and Sullivan, this is a fantastic place to start. Either way, don’t let this one sail by. It’s a joy to see a show this old feel so alive.
Find tickets and more information HERE.
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