HMS Pinafore
- Robert Beale
- 6 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Gilbert & Sullivan
National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company
Buxton Opera House
August 1,9,12,14, 2026: 2 hrs
I guess you can’t really take HMS Pinafore out of its original Victorian setting without losing the point of the class-based social structure that is the key to the story.
Some may have wondered what director Sarah Helsby Hughes might do with it, after her updating of The Pirates of Penzance to the 1930s at the 2022 International G & S Festival, and her more daring translation of The Mikado to a minor English public school in the 1950s (which I loved) for the festival in 2024.
But this time she keeps things, in principle, solidly Victorian: I’m not an expert on British naval uniforms, so can’t say what precise period the men’s costumes are from, but the sisters and the cousins and the aunts of Sir Joseph Porter KCB are bedecked with gorgeous frocks and even more gorgeous hats, that seem to be from the late days of England’s glory. And the set is the familiar festival one, if re-arranged and lit with sparkly decoration (Matthew Cowan).
The story is all about class distinctions: Josephine, the daughter of Captain Corcoran, can’t marry Sir Joseph, the First Lord of the Admiralty, because he’s so far above her: Ralph Rackstraw, the common sailor, can’t hope for her hand because he’s so far below her. Some say that if it wasn’t for HMS Pinafore we might have had a Russian-style revolution in this country, as it gently mocks its era’s pretensions (finally reversing them), and subverts their inequalities with a fulsome dose of patriotism.
The great virtues of this production are in stage skills and musicality. The festival goes from strength to strength in casting, chorus and conductors’ qualities; this one has James Hendry, ex-Royal Northern College of Music and a mentee of Sir Antonio Pappano, again in the pit (as in 2024’s production) with the National Festival Orchestra. From the first pages of the overture his poised and flexible tempi and fizzing energy are apparent, and don't let up. The chorus (many of them with RNCM backgrounds, and one from Manchester’s Kantos Chamber Choir) make a grand sound for their size.
Choreographer Sarah Storer gave them lots to do, with lively ideas in “I am the captain of the Pinafore” and the finales of both Acts, and clever touches for the principals here and there.
For love interest we have David Webb as Ralph and Phoebe Smith as Josephine – big and accurate voices and likeable actors; Ben McAteer (Captain Corcoran) is an experienced opera soloist and master of stagecraft too, and he works well with Mark Saberton - another classical opera man - as Dick Deadeye; “Kind captain, I’ve important information” a notable example.
Gaynor Keeble is a festival favourite for the mature contralto roles and gives Little Buttercup her practised expertise; Paul Sheehan is humane and warm of tone as Bill Bobstay… and where would a National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company Pinafore be without comic baritone Simon Butteriss as Sir Joseph? He camps it up as ever, enlivens the footwork of “Never mind the why and wherefore”, and has every squawky voice, patrician glare and lustful leer at the ready.
More info and tickets here
