Well, Tuesday night I was able to cash in on a great Christmas gift to go see The Pirates of Penzance at Bass Hall. It was the first time I had seen any full production of it in any form. I had some trouble finding someone to go with me, but eventually Lisa consented. Our seats were very good, front row on the balcony, which meant we could really see everything without looking over anybody. The performance was wonderful. The soprano that played Mabel was great. She was pitch perfect and had a whole lot of high range. She was clearly a classically trained opera singer. Frederick was also good, as was the guy who played Samuel. He was good when he wasn't doing anything. The music was good. I went in to it kind of thinking that Gilbert and Sullivan were like poor man's opera, but I came out of thinking that in fact it was just comic opera. The pieces were no less difficult, the talent required no less, only the language and the tone clearly set it apart. It was like opera farce. I was very impressed with it and I had a good time. Thanks for the tix and the company Lise.
Also today I saw Disturbia. It was not great and was sort of a treatment of Rear Window. I have decided I like Shia LeBoeuf, whom I first saw in The Battle of Shaker Heights. He was also in The Greatest Game Ever Played and, though I didn't see it, Holes. He did a good job here, there was some tension in the story, but nothing really intersting to write home about. But I think I'll keep my eye on Shia LeBoeuf, maybe the next John Cusack, as penned by EW critic Owen Gleiberman.
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3 comments:
i had a great time at the Pirates. I agree with everything you said about it. I liked watching the orchestra pit too and i loved watching the stage and chorus. Someone told me that the Star Telegram gave it an "a", something that they never do, and I agree with them. I am glad that no one else consented to go with you and that i did.
thanks for the persistence.
I first saw Pirates at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London during the summer of 1983, after my sophomore year in high school, making it the first stage performance I ever paid to see (as opposed to having a ticket bought for me by one of our parents . . . or Ruth).
Angela Lansbury is my favorite Ruth. Your Dad is my favorite pirate king. Ask him about the prop he built to have a peg leg - I think he regretted it! Gilbert and Sullivan wrote some good stuff. I think some of their best music comes from the Mikado (Eric Idle has performed Koko set in the 1930s at a Brittish hotel). Braid The Raven Hair is my favorite "Pretty" song. They also have fabulous patter songs. Look out for the one that begins, "When you're lying awake/with a dismal headache". It defines insomnia!
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