Musical Theatre: 'The Pirates Of Penzance' (Australian Version) adapted by Essgee Entertainment Pty

The Pirates Of Penzance

by Gilbert and Sullivan. Adapted by Essgee Entertainments Pty

""An absolute hoot from beginning to end. It is pantomime, it is burlesque, it is camp, and above all, it's a tonic"

D A Cole on Amazon UK

Please Note : This musical is only available from us to customers in UK and Europe.
If you are outside this area, please go to David Spicer Productions

Also : For contractual reasons we do not sell the DVD of the 1994 Australian Production
which is screened regularly on the UK Sky Arts TV channel.
These can be obtained easily from Essgee Entertainment

Musical Comedy: 'The Pirates Of Penzance' (Essgee's Australian Version) To many people the story told in 'The Pirates Of Penzance' really needs no long-winded explanation (but if you need the synopsis please click here). 'Pirates' is one of the best G&S operettas and is performed thousands of times a year in the original version and, that being out of copyright, in versions modified individually by the group performing it.

There are also two commercial versions which are copyrighted - the 'Broadway' version made famous by producer Joseph Papp in the 1980's (and which formed the basis of the film released around that time featuring Kevin Kline), and this one, the high-energy Australian version.

Gilbert and Sullivan wrote the most popular operettas in the history of English theatre. They are probably even more famous than Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and certainly as English as bacon and eggs, or roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. Indeed, their fame is so great, it rests as securely on their initials as on their names. To anyone who loves musical theatre, 'G&S' means old-fashioned melody, irreverence, wit and fun.

But now, Essgee Entertainment has thoroughly updated three of these Victorian operetta (HMS Pinafore, The Mikado and The Pirates Of Penzance) allowing today's theatregoer a fresh look at these classics. Almost all the original songs and tunes are included though and despite the 'pop feel' of many of the chorus numbers the most beautiful solos are untouched. The end product is true to the spirit of Gilbert and Sullivan, but much more accessible for today’s audiences.

This is pure musical theatre with some pantomime elements ...
... it is NOT an operetta for the G&S purist!

Simon Gallaher's Essgee Entertainment has brought Gilbert and Sullivan into the twenty-first century through modern orchestrations, tighter funnier scripts, a fabulous 'megamix' finale, and the unique funky female chorus in three part harmony.

Musical Comedy: 'The Pirates Of Penzance' (Essgee's Australian Version)

Characters

Principals (5m, 5f)

The Pirate King -

Samuel - his Lieutenant

Frederic -

Ruth - a Pirate Maid

Major-General Stanley -

Mabel - one of the Major-General's Daughters

Edith, Kate, Isabel - three more of the Major-General's Daughters

The Sergeant -

Support

Chorus of : Pirates (male); Policemen (or Policewomen), and (if required) more daughters/nannies/nurses of the Major-General

Songs

1) Gilbert & Sullivan Opening	Company
2) Pour, O Pour the Pirate Sherry	Pirate King, Samuel, Frederic & Pirates
3) When Frederic Was a Little Lad	Ruth
4) Oh, Better Far to Live and Die	Pirate King & Pirates
5) Oh, False One, You have Deceived Me!	Ruth & Frederic
6) Climbing Over Rocky Mountain	The Daughters
7) Stop, Ladies, Pray!	Frederic & Daughters
8) Oh, Is there Not One Maiden Breast	Frederic & Daughters
9) Poor Wandering One	Mabel & Daughters
10) What Ought We to Do?	The Daughters
11) How Beautifully Blue the Sky	Mabel, Frederic & Daughters
12) Stay, We Must Not Lose Our Senses	Frederic, Daughters & Pirates
13) Hold, Monsters!	Mabel, Samuel, Major-General, Daughters & Pirates
14) A Modern Major-General *	Pirate King, Major-General & Ensemble
15) Oh, Men of Dark and Dismal Fate	Company
~~ Interval ~~
16) Oh, Dry the Glistening Tear	Mabel & Daughters
17) Then Frederic	Major-General & Frederic
18) When the Foeman Bares his Steel	Sergeant, Mabel, Police & Daughters
19) Now for the Pirates' Lair!	Frederic, Pirate King & Ruth
20) When You had Left our Pirate Fold	Ruth, Frederic & Pirate King
21) Duty, Duty *#	Frederic, Ruth & Pirate King
22) Away, Away! My Heart's on Fire	Ruth, Pirate King & Frederic
23) All is Prepared	Mabel & Frederic
24) Stay, Frederic, Stay!	Mabel & Frederic
25) No, I Am Brave	Mabel, Sergeant & Police
26) When a Felon's Not Engaged in his Employment	Sergeant & Police
27) A Rollicking Band of Pirates We	Pirates, Sergeant & Police
28) With Cat-Like Tread	Pirates, Police & Samuel
29) Hush, Hush ! Not a Word	Frederic, Pirates, Police & Major-General
30) Sighing Softly to the River	Major-General & Ensemble
31) Megamix Finale	Company
* additional lyrics by Melvyn Morrow # 'Duty, Duty' adapted from 'You Understand. I Think I Do' from Ruddigore

Information for Production Administrators

Here's a list of all the supporting material available and some other information you might need. Pricing for the production materials is supplied automatically with a Perusal Set. Royalty pricing can only be provided as a formal quotation.

Available now (see below) ...

Perusal Set

These are available to bona-fide producing organisations only to request free of charge. The set contains ...
	Printed Libretto (Cast Version, see below) Printed Piano/Vocal Score Cast Recording Full Production Video (of original professional production)

Available after Perusal ...

Rehearsal Master Set on a Data CD

This contains the script and piano vocal score for your cast and crew provided as A4 pdf files. We also provide: i) an expanded version of the script for your Director giving all the additional stage directions needed to recreate the stage 'business' used in the original professional production; and ii) a free copy of the DVD of the original Australian production to use as an aid in preparing and rehearsing your production.

No problem about possible loss of deposit, as the scripts and vocal scores are yours to print out and mark up as required. The price includes a multiple copying licence allowing you to make multiple prints of the pdf's on the Data CD for your production company to organise and provide to your cast or crew. Alternatively you can give (or sell) the cast files to your cast and crew for them to print, bind and use.

Please note that we do not sell individual printed copies of libretti, nor do we hire sets of printed rehearsal libretti or vocal scores.

Available after Rights Obtained ...

Backing Tracks

Not available.

Orchestrations

These are available in printed A4 format as below for hire to production companies only, who hold a valid, unexpired, licence to perform.
	Keyboard 1 Keyboard 2 (Click here for Keyboard voicing details) Keyboard 3 Percussion 1 (Drum Kit) Percussion 2 (Timps and Glock, Xylo etc. Click here for details) Electric Bass Guitar MD's Full Score
	The MD's Full Score and the Instrument Parts are available separately.

Royalty Type

Royalties for this title are 'variable fee, post paid', and will be calculated on a percentage of your box office income once your production has finished. See our pricing policy for details. We work on a quotation system for royalties, based on information you supply to us. Complete a printed application form or, create account with us, and use the online version.

Video Licence

We have secured the rights to video productions of this title from Essgee Entertainments Pty, and we manage them on their behalf. Once a 'Licence To Perform' has been granted, and then on payment of a fee, we will be able to issue a 'Licence To Record'. There are some strings attached to this, but these are far outweighed by the benefits.
	Record one or more live performances and mix down to a single video Give or sell copies to your cast and crew Sell copies to your audiences (take advance bookings on the night)