The Pirates Of
- In the presence of Their Royal Highnesses Prince
and Princess
Louise Gold
appeared as Isabel, one of Major General Stanley's daughter's, at
Perhaps one of
the most amazing things about this production was the cast, some of whom were
already names, and many of whom went on to become better known. In addition the
band of Noblemen-turned-Pirates included among their number a real nobleman.
Cast
The Pirate King - Tim Curry
Frederic -
Ruth, A Pirate Maid - Annie Ross
Major-General
Edith - Karen Lancaster
Kate - Bonnie Langford
Isabel - Louise Gold
Mabel - Pamela Stephenson
Major-General Stanley - George Cole
The Sergeant - Chris Langham
Pirates and Police:
Timothy Bentinck,
Graham Bickley, Keith Binns, Peppi Borza, Ken Caswll,
Mark Davis, Kevin Feighery, Alan Forrester, Andrew
Golder, David Hampshire,
Back-up Singers:
Neil Braithwaite
Christina Collier, John Denton,
Uncredited Back-Up Singers
Anita Pashley, &, Sarah Shipton
Uncredited Swing
Ray Hatfield.
Production Team
Producer - Joseph Papp
Presented by -
Lyrics/Libretti - William S Gilbert
Music - Sir Arthur Sullivan
Original Productions 30 December 1879 at The Royal Bijou Theatre, Paignton, with Miss Kate Neville as Isabel, and then, 31 December 1879, at The 5th Avenue Theatre, New York, with Miss Billie Barlow as Isabel.
Director - Wilford Leach
Musical Arranger - William Elliott
Choreography - Graciela Daniele
Scenery by - Bob Shaw & Wilford Leach
Costumes by - Patricia McGourty
Lighting by - Jennifer Tipton
Sound by - Don Ketteler
Musical Director (uncredited in programme) - Martin Koch
Associate Producer
(
Company Manager Nick Bromley
Stage Manager Joanne Connelly
Deputy Stage Manager Andrew
Flint-Shipman
Assistant Stage Managers Sarah Whiting,
and A. Another
Sound Operators Richard Salzedo, Steve
Williams, and, Miki Jablkowska
Wardrobe Mistress Eve Barnes
Assistant Wardrobe Mistress Alison Scott
Wig Supervisor/Stylists Hugo Bryon
Wiggins
Production Manager Alistair Smith
Production Carpenter Robert Knight
Production Electrician Jenny Cane
Sound Consultant Philip Clifford
Costume Supervisor Jean Turnbull
Property Buyer Buffy Kimm
Assistant to Miss Daniele Roy Jones
Assistant to Miss Tipton Spike Gaden
Assistant to Mr Ketteler Roy Annas
Vocal Consultant Marjorie Rivingston
Production Assistant Helen Nicholson
Production Photographer Zoe Dominic
Dance Captain Peppi Borza
Assistant to the costume supervisor Karen
Hore
Running Order
Trumpters of the
The National Anthem
Mr. Robert Morely
The Pirates Of
The entire
cast went on to appear in The
Pirates Of Penzance when it opened officially at Theatre Royal Drury
Lane on 26th May 1982.
This
performance was one of a number of charity previews given prior to the official
opening, some of the others included: The Pirates Of
Penzance (Gala Performance), and, The Pirates Of Penzance
(Benefit Preview).
It is possible
that the person credited as A. Another might be Debi Turner, since Debi
Turner was a stage manager on at least two other preview performances and
the actual show.
Robert Morely had previously acted in the film The Great Muppet Caper; which Roy Jones has worked as assistant to
the choreographer on.
A year earlier
in the film Dark Crystal, Robert Morelys face is supposed
to have been the model for the face of
one of the Skekises. Ironically enough the Gourmand Skeksis, whose
principal puppeteer was acting in this Gala Preview, as one of the Major
Generals daughters.
Amusingly,
given that at the end of the Operetta The Pirates get let-off because they are
noblemen, in this production Louise Gold found herself waltzing around
the stage with a real nobleman, namely Timothy Charles Robert Noel Bentinck,
who went on to inherit the title of 12th Earl Of Portland, Tim
also went on to play David Archer in the BBC Radio 4 soap The
Archer's . Interestingly one of his relatives (The Baroness Bentinck) was on the Gala Committee for this
particular charitable performance.
Louise Gold, Timothy Bentinck, Peppi Borza, David
Hampshire, and Simon Howe had previously appeared in the Papp film
version of The Pirates Of Penzance.
In the film of
The Pirates Of Penzance, Louise
Gold played the role of Edith. The only one of the three girls whom Louise
Gold has not played is Kate, interestingly in the second ever production of
The Pirates Of Penzance, at The 5th Avenue Theatre
in New York, that role was played by Miss Rosina Brandram, whom Louise
Gold would later portray in the film Topsy Turvy.
Most of the
cast took part, largely as The Pirates Of Penzance cast, in the 1982 Royal Variety Performance,
which that year was actually at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
It is perhaps worth noting that Theatre Royal
Drury Lane has witnessed many historical occurrences, in particular
connected with royalty, including assassination attempts on two of the King
Georges
Many of the
cast stand out in their contribution to theatre, and a surprising number of
them either had worked together before, or would later be reunited. For
example:
Chris
Langham had been both a
script-writer and a Guest Star on The Muppet
Show, so he already knew Louise
Gold in her puppeteer guise. Chris Langhams writing credits with
the Muppets include: Muppet Show Music
Album, and The Muppets Go To The
Movies.
Louise Gold and Chris Langham had previously appeared in The All Time Get Around Sometimes Play Together Every Other Friday Night Vaudeville Show, and on the documentary Of Muppets And Men.
Anita
Pashley and Bonnie Langford had
previously appeared together in the original company of Cats, immediately prior
to their appearing in The Pirates Of Penzance.
Tim Curry later starred as another Pirate, Long John
Silver, in the film Muppet Treasure Island,
which of course Louise Gold puppeteered on. .
Louise Gold and Pamela Stephenson went on to do voices
for Spitting Image, on which Louise Gold
was also Leading Puppeteer, and for which Chris Langham did some
writing.
Louise Gold, Anita
Pashley and Kevin A. J. Ranson, later worked together on Anything Goes.
Sylvester
McCoy went on to appear on many
Children's TV programmes including: Jigsaw,
Jenny Cane went on to become the Lighting Designer for Follies.
Louise Gold continued her association with the work of Gilbert
and Sullivan appearing in the stage show The
Metropolitan Mikado and the film Topsy Turvy.
Graham
Bickleys recording credits
include The Best Of Broadway
Musicals , Encore The Very Best From The
Musicals , Great Duets From The
Musicals , Cole Porter - Night And
Day, The Great Musicals - Wonderful Tales,
The Great Musicals Glamour And Majesty,
Simply Musicals, The Great Musicals Dashing Heroes,
Blushing Maidens, Magic Of The Musicals,
and, The Great Musicals - From
Broadway to Hollywood.
Bonnie
Langford went on to appear in Broadway To Brighton.
Louise
Gold has gone on
to appear on stage in another G&S operetta, The Gondoliers,
in 2003.
Louise Gold and Sylvester McCoy have gone on to appear
in Noises Off.
Martin Koch, and, Sylvester McCoy may have gone on to take part in Thing A Thon.
Backstage crew members Nick Bromley, and, Miki Jablkowska went on to work on Chitty Chitty Bang Bang .
Graham Bickley, and, Louise Gold went on to appear in Mexican Hayride.
Louise Gold subsequently returned to Theatre
Royal Drury Lane in Oliver!.
Tim Curry,
Louise Gold, and, Chris Langham went on to appear in the
documentary I Love The Muppets.
George Cole went on to appear in
the documentary ITVs 50 Greatest Shows.
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