Pirates of Penzance: Oh, Better Far to Live and Die

[wenshadow1]

I love this, never get bored with watching it, Brilliant.!!!!

[VincenoCovers]

7 people must be members of the british parliament.....

[DHRbarnett]

If you play the pirate king and copy jack sparrow and not jon english, you are HORRIBLE

[TheBr00talcore]

My school recently did Pirates for our School Musical. I was the Pirate King, and I swear, I stole half of everything I did/said off Jon English. This man is flawless in his portrayal of the character. Hoping to chuck up some videos of our version soon, but I swear, it will NEVER match up to the epicness that is Jon English

[MrSamHargreaves]

This is the role Jon English was born to play. He's got the look and he's got the voice.

[LadyEvelynL]

I love the conductor's facepalm, classic

[cosmicmoosehippo]

Is the entire show on DVD or anything? I NEED to see it all! It's fantastic. This is the hundreth time I've watched this in the last week and it's still hilarious! x

[TheKokokiss]

@cosmicmoosehippo Yeah! Abc shops should have them or even on amazon...

[jess4dinner]

@cosmicmoosehippo You should be able to find a copy. Have a look online. I have this whole production on video but can't remember where I got it years ago. I know you'd be able to find the theatrical release somewhere, but personally, I love Jon English at the Pirate King :)

[Daveh01]

@cosmicmoosehippo Try middle8.com for a copy of the DVD

[IngenuousSoprano]

I love this version, but for some reason, I can't help but think of Jareth singing "For I am the Goblin King!" lol

[spinningglenda]

Saw the whole production on Sky Arts this week and thought it was fabulous! Wished I had recorded it but didn't so delighted to have found these videos. Thank you so much. 

[jasperjasperjasperj]

want those puple trousers for when i do it :)

[vonnycav]

I love Jon English!

[communicationfive]

not enough bass

[Jazzbeu55]

What an awesome performance. Even though they take considerable liberty with the script, I suspect Gilbert and Sullivan would fully approve of the additions.and changes. Absolutely brilliant humor.

[mistressladyjulianna]

the humor is there, the energy is definitely there, i just dont love the way he sang it

[mistressladyjulianna]

I cant say I LOVE Jon English playing this. Though he is very talented, I can't find anyone who can top Kevin Klein.

[axel144]

@mistressladyjulianna You are so right!

[cooperjamify]

@mistressladyjulianna if you saw this whole production you would think differently. It's just Jon English and the guy who does Fredric (Simon Gallagher) and a whole bunch of gags throughout the thing and it shows a whole much more originality than what Klein does who doesn't stray as much from the script.

[Belsamuel]

... I love his purple pants...

[popprincess6253]

its brilliant that they got in a fight with the conductor. the clutzy pirate king i love it (:

[hardsixteenyeah]

@SweetBriarRose I forgot to say to you "who" I was. I was talking about the weather in "my" village. And (do) you know what? I really like rain! Yes, sorry, but it's thrue! And cloud. I don't like when the weather is very cold, but we can say that I'm not a "fanatic" of sun and hot exactly ¡Ha, ha,ha! Thank you for be so nice. Ups! Now, I must to go to sleep. Tomorro, I'll have to go to another village, out of Basque Country with my parents, and everything is so boring there ... Bye.

[hardsixteenyeah]

Gosh! I'm not very sure about this word means, the diccionary translate as: "¡Caramba!", But, sometimes diccionaries don't translate in a real way. If this is a bad word, please, tell it to me. I wouldn't like to be disgusting No way!. What is the name of your town? Some little villages of England look really nice...I live in a very small village called Sestao. These 5 or 6 last days, the weather ts "getting better a lot for your taste (you know, sunny, warm, now there're no clouds in the sky...

[hardsixteenyeah]

@SweetBriarRose This video, if you want, of course could be a "meeting point" for us, maybe.

"By the way" Ha, ha, ha! HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I wish you the best to you.

[hardsixteenyeah]

@SweetBriarRose At last! I finaly found!! Good! I've trying to do it searching for Kevin Kline videos, and I found you in one of the movie "In & Out". Very funny "by the way" (as you said when you explained to me that you're a woman). When I've openned my e-mail, and I've seen your message, I've said to myself "Fiuuuu! Thaaanks! Or something like that. I'm very GLAD to meet you again. Thanks again, my teacher of english language and culture,and also a kind of "virtual friend" or similar, I hope

[SweetBriarRose]

@hardsixteenyeah Hi, glad you found me - yes, the video of Kline dancing in "In and Out" is very funny! Happy New Year to you, hope 2011 is good to you, too, my "virtual" friend!

Just a bit about me - I'm in my 60's, retired now, and live in the south of England, where at the moment it is very rainy, cold and miserable!!!! I'm sure the weather is better where you are!

Best wishes, hope to chat again soon.

Rose

[popprincess6253]

best. version. ever (:

[hardsixteenyeah]

Ooooh, thank you so much, my sweet friend, really! I'm so glad you answer to me. That's very kind of you. Of course you've helped me. I'm not sure you go to answer me. Great boy/man or girl/woman! Thank you, seriously.

[SweetBriarRose]

@hardsixteenyeah Sorry, I didn't see this message until now, so sorry not to have answered you. I'm a woman by the way, and yes, I'd love to chat to you on here! I'll see if I can send you a Friend invite - not too good on YouTube yet, but I'll try. Best wishes. Rose

[hardsixteenyeah]

@SweetBriarRose Maybe you're luckier than me, 'cause I'm afraid this masterpiece will be never available in Basque Country (North East of spain), that's where I'm from and where I live.

Probably, you'll have much more opportunities. Good luck!!

[hardsixteenyeah]

@SweetBriarRose Easy, easy. I wasn't talking about how good, how sexy or whatever you want to say about Kevin Kline, I was just saying that I find Jon English funny. Nothing more, it's no my intention to bother anyone. He makes laugh and I find him a nice person. Surely you're right when you say Kline was better singer (he sings really good). I was talking about FUN, nothing more, there's no need you to get ..., ¿a little bit angry with me? No, please, it's crazy.

[SweetBriarRose]

@hardsixteenyeah Hi hun - no, sorry, I wasn't angry with you, and really sorry if it came over that way. You enjoy John English - half the enjoyment of G&S is the fun element, as well as the glorious music! No offence meant, hun, sorry if I hurt you, didn't mean to! Cheers xxx

[hardsixteenyeah]

@SweetBriarRose Don't worry "buddy". You only wanted to make quite clear what is your oinion. That's all. But I didn't want that my opinion (comments are just all about it, opinions) could get upset you (sorry if I make some mistakes, usually,and unfortunately, I don't speak english, and I try to practise writting to other persons, like here, in YouTube), or bother you. It wouldn't be worth, would be? Just let me answer to you two questions, please.

[hardsixteenyeah]

@SweetBriarRose Could you tell me hat is the meaning of hun, and G&S, please? Thanks in avance. "See" you. I hope so.

[SweetBriarRose]

@hardsixteenyeah Hi there - yes, sorry - "hun" is a common internet shortened form of "honey" - an Americanism used between friends - or people who want to be friends.

G&S is short for Gilbert and Sullivan; as you probably know, Gilbert wrote the libretto (words) and Sullivan the music for "Pirates of Penzance" - and a lot more! Hope this helps.

I think your English is very good - it's great that you're practising on places like this! Please feel free to practise on me, if it helps.

xxxx

[iskyftwroflcopterSoi]

@SweetBriarRose Practice* especially since you spelled it wrong twice

[SweetBriarRose]

@iskyftwroflcopterSoi If you're going to be gratuitously (look it up) rude to people, at least get your facts right first. In British English, we distinguish between "practise" as a verb and "practice" as a noun. E.G "My dentist practises (verb) in town, but has opened a new practice (noun) near me." Though what my spelling has to do with you, I really cannot imagine! Oh, PS - I have 2 degrees in English, so I do know how to write my own language without any advice from you.

[SweetBriarRose]

Well, I had a look at Jon English singing I am a Pirate King - not impressed! A lot of the "business" Kline had done/started in the 80's - like the fight with the conductor, and landing on his pirates who collapse under his weight! English just seems to be trying toooo hard to be funny, while with Kline the humour came naturally. AND English ain't half as sexy as Kline!!! I'm a bit too old now (like Ruth lol!) but Kline could have kidnapped me - no probs! ;)

[Tenkton]

@SweetBriarRose Well, and I'd rather get kidnapped by Jon English, so what? Kevin Kline is a famous actor, and Jon English a famous singer. We can all pick and choose as we please. I don's see why you have to dis one actor just because you prefer an other.

[SweetBriarRose]

@Tenkton Hi Tenkton - sorry, thought we still had free speech! I wasn't particularly "dissing" English - just saying I preferred Kline in the role - he set the gold standard for me! Not my intention to offend anyone. So I'll just say that, for me, Kline is the best Pirate King I've ever seen; if other people disagree, fine, and if I've offended anyone, I apologise unreservedly. Was just expressing an opinion, not start a war!

[Tenkton]

@SweetBriarRose You were pretty hard on English, and I saw no reason for that at all, just because you like Kline better. And I just used my freedom of speech to tell you that. So: I disagree with you - but I was not offended, so no reason to apologize.

[hardsixteenyeah]

FANTASTIC!! Jon is the best pirate king I've ever seen.

[SweetBriarRose]

@hardsixteenyeah

Sorry, not a patch on Kevin Kline! 

[hardsixteenyeah]

@SweetBriarRose Yeah, Kevin Kline did a very good work , more than ten years before, but Jon is so hilarious ... He almost gets to outshine the rest of the actors, allthough they're really good too.

[SweetBriarRose]

@hardsixteenyeah Hi - I will have a look at Jon English - I've caught scraps but just he didn't gell with me, while Kline just blew me away - funny, athletic, sexy, and - rare even with opera singers - you could hear every word he sang/said! Just wish we could get the film version DVD over  in the UK!!! Wasn't too keen on Rex Smith - adequate but not really the voice for Frederic.

[hardsixteenyeah]

FANTASTIC!! Jon is the best pirate king I ever seen.

[WeedTheUnknown]

CLEAN YOUR UNDERWEAR!!!!

[nextgeneration456]

I love pirates!!!! That was funny

[MATHUSORAMA]

classic

[katieannexx95]

omg, lol. love breaking the third wall!!!!!!!

[katieannexx95]

@cooperjamify so ur getting up at a 15 year old for saying what she likes about the performance? Nice

[MrIronWar]

Dont mess with the conductor.

[LadyEaglestar18]

Could some one tell me what group did this?

[Callithyia]

@LadyEaglestar18 it was Essgee Entertainment-- Simon Gallaher (Frederick)'s company ;)  They're on wikipedia :D

[kastanok]

Essgee Entertainment

[xXCamillaFawnXx]

This is so silly. I love it! I giggled through the whole video.

[HufflepuffTheGreat]

haha this is one of the funniest things ive ever seen!!

[derhenkero]

video ist ganz nach meinem Geschmack übrigens jungs geht HeisseZone . Com Davids blog is gold wert

[Rebexie]

I love the interaction with the conductor!

[sharpshootermatthew]

know god

[SexyLenaa91]

huh jemand lust mich von meiner einsamkeit zu befreien

[dongiovanni313]

tigrrr12 and everyone else-does anyone know how to get/make the fake boulders used here in the set or in any high school level production

[quaileen123]

lots of chicken wire and paper mache

we made one when my school did pirates

took forever

[vader5001]

large blocks of foam and cut to the rocks size. ir metalframe with paper mache, perhaps.

[prepare2eatUrwords]

Aw! I remember going to see this at Harrison! It was what got me interested in joining the Technical Theatre department! It was incredible then, this brings back happiness:)

[UFOGeek]

I was just with Jon English 2 days ago. He and his wife asked to join my private ghost hunt investigation at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park Colorado., The Stanley Hotel is where Stephen King stayed and came up with the idea for the book and movie, The Shining. Jon and his wife stayed in room 217, where King stayed. I was in room 401. Jon, his wife, myself, Callea, Dave, and Dawn were investigating Lucy's room in the lower level of the concert hall. I'll have video of us all on my Youtube page.

[PuissantAlgernon]

A true masterclass in name-dropping :D

[thebigbloblol]

haha were doing that play at school :D

[Ignauhak]

Jon English MAKES the show! Gives it, in my opinion, the much-needed Brechtian approach G&S themselves would've encouraged!

[thrall898]

"Oh better far to live and die under the great black flag I fly" [cuts down flag] "...." [waves Samuel to fix it] "And (rest of the song)"

[Sclasspsycho]

I was in a production of this at my high school. I wanted to be a pirate, but I ended up being a police officer. I will never get those songs out of my brain as long as I live! :P Oh well, it was fun!

[measuringtap3]

wow jon english rocks

[RTgrl]

Wow, I haven't seen the rop bit before, but that was pretty good! I love how he gets into a fight with the conductor.

[Ignauhak]

Their quarrel was a running gag throughout the trilogy that NEVER got old!

[monkeyishi]

@RTgrl the rope bit is the only part i remember from this musical

[SpeedsterXS12]

@RTgrl In the production I was in, the conductor got out of the pit and began fighting the pirates and the pirate king climbed into the pit. The audience loved it. Great show.

[nextlifearotti]

it's funny but I saw this years and years and years ago in Brisbane and I couldn't remember the details except that I enjoyed immensely.

thank you for posting it

[Miketheman2992]

do all shows have the rope bit? or something like it, or just this one?

[Ignauhak]

Every one but Pinafore, surprisingly, even though it's set on a ship & Mikado isn't, the latter STILL manages to fit the rope in!

And NOTHING done by Jon in the show set ENTIRELY on a ship!

[measuringtap3]

no 1 does it as good as jon english

[4evaTCB]

I'm so sorry, I meant to give you a thumbs up, Jon English is the best and so darn funny.

[measuringtap3]

yea

[awsomewolf244]

BEST EVER! I'm doing this at my school and I"M THE PIRATE KING!

[mattschmit1]

NO WAY!!!!! Im the pirate king at my school.

[MagicalMistoffolees]

this is unbelievably funny!! tho some of it can be a little too much, i still love it!

[games4me4]

what the crap? i'm gonna be in this play soon and all i can say is wow.

[horanpastoran]

Is this before or after the version with Kevin Kline? Cus they're almost the same :)

[SweetBriarRose]

@horanpastoran Hi - Kline's version is older - 1980 off Broadway, 1981 on Broadway and the film was released in 1983, though made before that.

[ebibat31]

very cheesey...but well done.

[joninho22]

whats with the orchestra. it sounds all electronic. doesn't fit. and the whole thing is a bit fast.

[Soxlotus]

i love this version! very funny!

[snubbyj]

i love how they argue with the conductor. the whole thing is very cool and different :-)

[pryorj2011]

In H.M.S. Pinafore he had a fight with the conductor over craps; "A game of chance. Bit like your conducting mate." And it concluded with a bomb in the orchestra pit.

[chocokat11]

Omgomgomg.

The conductor part was the funniest thing I've seen today.

[LordCuthberton]

nah ''you want to go back in he barrel??''

[math9023]

god I cant get any of these tunes out of my head

[msfyn]

To lettucequeen, when I am really sad, which is often I play my video of the whole production on volume 10. It makes me laugh & cry. Excellent show. Thank you for sharing.

[ebenezerstick]

Man that was funny!

[master0rolando]

god he sucks...

[master0rolando]

i mean its cool for him to have fun...but hes not singing this well at all...

most of the highschoolers whom have posted vids of themselves singing this (including myself) do alot better than him...

[rynoissophat]

The Score says that the singing is supposds to be off

[PuissantAlgernon]

It would have been possible to take your comment seriously if you'd resisted the opportunity to put in that little bit about your being better than Jon English...

[master0rolando]

yeah...probly...i guess that was pretty petty of me...

i wish Deskau would have sung this...

i don't know who id pick as the pirate king for a movie of this...id totally pick Robin Williams for the Major General though...thatd be funny as hell...

[MadFranandfriends]

Deskau? Dietrich Fischer-Deskau? The whole point of G&S was not to use big named opera singers....

[master0rolando]

what of it? hes one of the best singer to live...he can sing whatever he wants...

[MadFranandfriends]

Of course he can and I'm well aware of his talent (not to mention his dedication to the "Lieder". "What of it?" I can't believe I'm answering such a silly question. Do you ignore the wish of the composer in everything you do?

[master0rolando]

im not so sure John English was the voice they had in mind either...

alot of music by G and S is very accessible, and good for beginners, and will sound good almost all the time like the Pirate King's song...

...but some of it is extremely difficult to do well and easy to do poorly like Mable's part or the Nightmare song from Iolanthe...and should only be left to those who know what they are doing...

but regardless of difficulty, a better singer will sing it better...right?

[MadFranandfriends]

I agree and yes, a better singer will sing it better, but these songs aren't just about singing. The acting can be just as or more important. See if operetta's were all about singing technique and perfection they'd be somewhat duller..

[master0rolando]

the same as important...maybe...

more important?, no it cannot...thats what infuriates me about Broadway in its entirety...

the key word of "musical" is music...

would it have been difficult to find a person who can sing and act?

[MadFranandfriends]

Thing is it can. For me personally that is the boundary between opera and musical.

Yes actually now you mention it. if you don't know Simon Keenlyside, look him up. I recommend his Don Giovanni.

[Toothpicklvr]

What theatre group is this?

[FinalFreek]

essgee austrilia

[stanmugs]

Smashing, old chap, ye.

[packerfan12]

I like Kevin Kline better

[lettucequeen]

This is hilarious! I love the bit with the conductor. I also like the pirate swagger the actor has going!

I'm keeping this around to cheer me up on bad days. :D

[taylortheblack]

you're right, the part with the conductor was indeed very good.

[ScarletFlyingMonkeys]

rawr. our school is doing it but since it was written in the 1800'ds they decided to make all girls daughters and only the guys got to be pirates... which was sorta the reason i signed up... to be a pirate

[spectorofdarkness]

The energy this guy puts into the performance greatly increases its enjoyability! His audience interaction is also wonderful!

[darknipple]

the key is different than the version my school did.

[hedleyshunny]

haha, i'm a girl playing the pirate king at with my theatre group's performance ! a little shocked at first, but now it's cool, and hard ! this king is wicked though, i must say ;)

[DanceGirl149]

We're doing this at my school and I'm a girl and playing the pirate king!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ronydica]

My school makes a show with the pirates of penzance and i am the pirate king

[mizzeh56]

this is a great version!!

better then the one that was in sydney where the pirate king was a copy of captain jack sparrow!!!

[rhysjones1]

this is a great version. my only criticism is of the directors...maybe. The 'pirates' are actually noble men pretending to be pirates, but you cant see that in this evrsion. they are just typical pirates, so that inclines me to think the directors havnt really thought about that too much...

But still is a very good scene anyway

[Toothpicklvr]

Dude,you're right....

Mostly.

About the pirates

[genshitenson]

You probably want to take that problem not to the directors but to Gilbert & Sullivan or whoever wrote the PLOT, point out that no noblemen in their right minds would go to piracy...

Good luck getting an answer to that claim

[kasanatheangel]

the opera version of this is HORRID!

[TragicStorys]

Lol man, no one could ever do it like him

[JenxRodwell]

"But I'm a pirate!"

Yeah, I really like this version. Though they seem to have put a bit too much gags along the whole play, so it kinda ruins it at times..

[FlaviaR]

Probably the funniest version of this available - thank you so much!!

[supergirl71012]

i don't like these songs very much, but i have to watch them all, its my school musical, i have to get a big part!

[bratlinjenn]

Where is the part before this one?

[nigellica]

Do you mean Pour O Pour the Pirate Sherry? It's here somewhere too.

[bratlinjenn]

No I mean the part between When Frederic was a little lad and this one. There is a little bit of dialog before this scene.

[nigellica]

I think they have cut most of the dialogue out.

[TRWolf]

They haven't. All the dialogue is still there. The dialogue before this, about Ruth staying with the pirates etc is there too, just not in this clip.

[bratlinjenn]

Before this clip Frederic was saying something about them being too tender hearted and some other stuff. Before this clip Frederic was going to shake the pirate kings had when he tells him something about accompanying him back to civilization.

[bratlinjenn]

I loved when he took baton (I think that's what it's called)and said "I have a white shirt too you know, and made a movement with it and the band started playing badly until the conductor got it back.

[hannyloulou]

the conductor was fighting him with his lil directing doohinky! haha!

[Marius24601]

HaHa! purple pants!

[Stratocaster07]

the only draw back is the pirate kings purple pants...

[randombfh]

that is not actually a draw back, because they most likely did that on purpose, because i believe in this version they have a scene when he takes out a paper that says "Dear Pirate king, I like your pants." and then Ruth says, "no not that one"

[searchingforthree]

Wow, This is a cool stlye to "An American Tail:

Fievel Goes West". And The Music to the Pirate King Song

is really rocking!!!!

[jyoung78]

I don't like it. They ham it up so much that it just becomes a slapstick show. You don't need to ham G&S up- it's funny on its own.

[dennis9000]

Pirate King = ballin'

[jeffro887]

WOW! This is awful. That is all.

[vivaelphaba]

the last "pirate king" part went on for a thousand years and the dude cant sing that well.

[thegreatone86]

omg this is awesome!!

[jennjenn24]

Another thing when he is swinging on the rope when he gets back on stage you can hear a "weeee" I love how the conductor gets on to him for swinging on it.

[sudanim]

I read an interview with him from a few years later, when he had reached his 50s (he's mid-40s here), and he said they wouldn't let him use the rope any more. A shame. He does look like he has genuine fun on it.

[jennjenn24]

If you notice right the Pirate King says away to the cheating world he laughes. I think it could of been when he was doing that dance thing.

[MarieCris09]

Are you sure that's not one of the other members of the cast?

[jennjenn24]

No it's the Pirate King who laughs. He laughs when hs said cheating world for you or something like that. If you listen very carefully you can here it. It's after he does that little dance thing with his arms.

[MarieCris09]

It reminded me of how I had a crush on him when I was little. No surprise. :D

[frobsey]

brill

[minniebannister]

thankyou so much for uploading this!! :P