Pleasure Cruise

The good ship Pinafore sailed into Walnut Creek Thursday, mooring at the Lesher Center. She was manned by the Lamplighters, arguably the best Gilbert and Sullivan crew in the world. H.M.S. Pinafore is a delightful spoof on the subjects of class, rank, and bureaucracy. The Lamplighters make the most of Gilbert's clever lyrics and dialogue, inserting occasional contemporary references ad libitum. And in this production all the singing of Sullivan's delectable music was definitely above average. The role of Sir Joseph Porter, first Lord of the Admiralty, was made for Lawrence Ewing, master of the spoken and sung word and the double take, and dancer extraordinaire. His autobiography, “When I was a lad,” was a brilliant exposition of the workings of bureaucracy. Jonathan Spencer's strong baritone lent a certain grandeur to the Captain of the Pinafore — a dignity that was sorely tried as he grappled with the difficulties of attempting to rise in society through the marriage of his daughter to Sir Joseph. His daughter, Josephine, was winningly impersonated by the lovely Jennifer Ashworth, who possesses a beautiful voice and a sense of musical and dramatic timing to match Ewing's. Jonathan Smucker as Ralph Rackstraw, the lowly sailor who dares to love Josephine, sang his lyrical music fervently, his tenor secure and expressive. And I loved the moment when Ralph pours out his passion in a long declaration full of arcane words and phrases, and Josephine goes into raptures over his "simple eloquence." The sailors made an exceptionally strong chorus, and they moved and danced with great panache. They were equally good at dancing hornpipes and "carefully on tiptoe stealing." Sir Joseph's sisters, cousins, and aunts, led by the excellent Cousin Hebe of Cary Ann Rosko, were all gorgeous. Sir Joseph had come to woo Josephine, and it was fun to see how quickly his female relatives were willing to abandon his interest by allying themselves with the sailors and the young lovers. As it turned out, an audience member might suspect Cousin Hebe of having had an ulterior motive.

A Host of Fine Contributors

Behrend Eilers was the villain, Dick Deadeye, determined to ruin the prospects of the lovers. He was a terrific presence — strong of voice, twisted in appearance, and expert at delivering every word so effectively that he didn't need supertitles. Yes, the Lamplighters are using supertitles, which are mostly unnecessary but occasionally helpful. Some of Gilbert's words go by pretty fast, and not every singer is willing or able to use a style of singing that is partly speaking, the way Lawrence Ewing does. Katy Daniel sang Buttercup. In a production dedicated to the memory of two historic Buttercups, it can't have been easy, but she did a good job. She sounds a bit like someone sticking to the score; I hope she will come to be more outrageous in the part. Buttercup, like many G&S mezzos, should be a scene-stealer. Chris Shuford and Ted von Pohle made some fine solo contributions, and undoubtedly added strength to the chorus. George Thomson made his Lamplighters debut as conductor, an auspicious debut indeed, starting with a well-paced overture. A few dicey moments showed that he had a strong hand on the tiller, and he graciously allowed Sir Joseph to instruct him on occasion. Kudos also to director Barbara Heroux and choreographer Jayne Zaban. The movement of both chorus and principals is terrific, and the set, costumes, and lightning are brilliant. The orchestral playing, like the singing, is definitely above average. The entire production is a triumph.