LOGOS--November 18, 1969

Pirates and Rites liven BU theatre by Diane Marie Brown

Last week the Boston University Savoyards presented Gilbert and Sullivan'sThe Pirates of Penzance. No small undertaking for the campus amateurs, but as usual they met the demands of this production with customary competence. The show was tightly directed by Constance V. Miller, who kept the pace up and the style intricate. As the pirate king, Alan Abrams strutted about the stage with all the assurance and savoir-faire of any captain of the Spanish Main. Jeffrey Weisenfreund played Frederick, probably the most difficult role in Pirates with all the youthful buoyancy demanded by the role of the stock romantic hero. But, as may be expected, it was the two comic characters of Pirates who stole the show. Barbara Sacks as the pirate maid, Ruth, commanded the stage with her richly comic role of the scheming but likeable old woman, while Michael Berz was everybody's grandfather in the role of Major-General Stanley. Only military discipline could preserve the old man's sanity as he tried to cope with the bevy of young wards who always surrounded him, but even that redoubtable gold braid and silver medals image began to fade as all his sweet young things flew into the arms of their beloved pirates. Pirates was a triumph for the Savoyards as well as living proof for other campus groups that it can be done - even by amateurs. (ed: the rest of this article concerns a dance performance and is deleted to conserve space)

Boston After Dark--November 19, 1969

Pirates of Penzance: G&S at BU by Ezra Sims

An evening of excellent enjoyment. The virtues were collective and paramount; the defects, individual and (relatively) minor. So, since your true Savoy Opera Lover (I am one) comes to a performance of one of the Canon with a peculiar set of requirements (much by way of individual excellence can go by the board so long as that mystical thing, The Performance, occurs, I had, along with, evidently, the rest of the audience, a delightful time. Constance Miller's stage direction was always lively and inventive, producing an ensemble performance in which the highly attractive chorus, as a singing mass and as dramatic individuals, counted for no less than did the principals, who were themselves a thoroughly convincing lot. Good style: treating the piece as neither a period piece to be approached in foolish reverence nor an unintelligible relic in need of hopeful updating. Dramatically, it would be next to impossible to praise one soloist over another. In the original productions, Gilbert insisted that preference be given to singing actors over (all-too-often non-acting) fine singers; and the BU Savoyards properly continue that tradition. Excellent diction, consistency of character and appearance, untiring (in both senses) energy, were the dominant virtues of the evening. The sentiment was never allowed to bog down and get mawkish; and the jokes, both musical and verbal (and it's one of Sullivan's most amusingly parodistic scores) were so presented - bless them all - that it was their sturdy structure that carried the point, unweakened by their topicality now having become unintelligible. It's no small point in their favor that they were able to thoroughly overcome an almost impossible physical situation (organ pipes as a backdrop for the coast of Cornwall?!) - keeping one's attention thoroughly centered on the delightful outrageousness of the dramatic foolery. George Fulginiti paced the music with equal finesse. Much of what was to be praised in the staging was, of course, utterly dependent on his doing so. It's a great pity he couldn't have had a large, and better, orchestra and used Sullivan's original (and quite incomparable) orchestrations. And it's a greater one that the orchestra had to be seated on the same floor as the audience. (From my seat, the overture was a trumpet solo with orchestra obbligato.) But the orchestra was responsive, and nicely self-effacing, and one can but hope that as the group gets better established (this was their first performance with any orchestra at all) this will improve. It must, if they're to become fully as good as they seem capable of doing. Vocally, Linda Houpt was the most impressive member of the cast - almost all the others (except Linda Bond as Kate, who had little to sing, but was strategically placed and highlighted and sounded fine) had trouble of one sort or another, with the range of their parts. But also often do members of the D'Oyly Carte group. It's not all that easy to sing. The Major General is not a part one thinks of in terms of vocal beauty, but it does demand a particular style, which Michael Berz had in quite adequate measure. (He sounds remarkably like Martyn Green, the type and model for the part.) Barbara Sacks, lacking the girth and the chocolate-fudge voice of the traditional Ruth (I wonder if D'Oyly Carte doesn't breed them specially), managed a performance true to the spirit, if not the tradition, that was nicely convincing. Most important, they all sang musically and in character, and happily in tune (all less commonplace virtues than one might wish). Not least of the virtues of the evening were Pam Grodzicki's costumes. They were handsome, varied, and went a long way in helping one ignore those organ pipes. I look forward to the spring production.

fine arts news

Oh, Those Pirates!!! by Kenneth Schaffel

The Boston University Savoyards presented an outstanding production of Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance last November. Constance Miller's direction gave the group a sparkle that delighted the audience. A strong sense of ensemble was evident, even through the principal's solos. The stage direction was creative and worked well. The cast carried off the performing duties so well, one never doubted for a moment that they were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Linda Houpt, as Mabel, was the vocal star of the show. SFA's Wilma Thompson can be proud of her pupil who stopped the show with "Take Heart." Her voice has the range and control worthy of the professional stage. Michael Berz, as the Major General, was excellent. He carried off the most difficult solo in the show flawlessly, giving the show one of the more entertaining moments. Alan Abrams gave the Pirate King the authority and charm demanded of the role. Paul Seltzer sang the FOURTH encore of "Cat Like Tread" in German, showing off his lingual versatility. Juliet Cunningham, Linda Bond and Noreen Tuross were very pleasant as the Major General's daughters. Barbara Sacks was endearing as the much pushed around pirate, Ruth. Jeffrey Weisenfreund as Frederick displayed his vocal versatility masterfully. In all, one cannot say enough about the excellence of the chorus. Their exuberance was the icing on the cake. George Fulginit's orchestra supported the cast well. They deserve better "pit" conditions to work in. Pam Grodzicki's costumes were beautiful. If the spring venture of the B.U. Savoyards meets the standards set by Pirates, G & S patrons can look forward to another exciting production.

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