When The Foeman Bares His Steel

Gilbert and Sullivan's raucous operatic tale is captured in all its fun and glory in this production, recorded live at Central Park's Delacorte Theater. Kevin Kline sparkles as the swashbuckling and libidinous Pirate King while Linda Ronstadt makes her theatrical debut as the lovely and virginal Mabel. When Mabel and Frederic, a young pirate bound to serve the Pirate King, fall in love, complications arise and high spirited antics ensue. The incomparable cast offers the best in this boisterous romp.

Despite some of the technical shortcomings of the DVD I found it more rewarding than the 1983 movie. I would thoroughly recommend adding a copy of this DVD to your library.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• The
• Pirates
• of
• Penzance

[dramaqueen92789]

I loved Tony Azito. If you weren't already laughing you sure are now. He always gave the performance of his life. God rest his soul

[Wribbet]

Tony the Human Silly Putty! Gosh I love him! ^ ^

[Caleedcutie]

I'm also a policeman in my school play

[PokemonStudios99]

lol i am a policeman in the pirates of penzance play that my school is doing

[Hawkflame]

I wouldn' want these guys as my local police

[Shoelpkof]

I love this song...it always gets the crowd amped up

[lithead]

@lithead Isn't it wonderful! I know that it's from the filmed version of Joe Papp's 1980 "Plays in the Park," later transferred to Broadway. I guess I meant "Thank you to whomever made the studio decision to film this wonderful version."

One thing that is different from the D'Oyly Carte version *is* the emphasis on the burlesque. The songs are played for their popular culture associations - rather than their operatic references. The police as Keystone Kops, for instance.

[janspek33]

@lithead This in itself is a movie, just to let you know. i dont think someone in the audience would be able to film the play.

[lithead]

What a wonderful spirited version! It quite captures the almost burlesque quality of G & S - burlesque crossed with opera.

Thank you a million times to whomever filmed this, and to ThePenzancePirate for posting it. God bless Tony Azito, cut down far too soon.

[BaronVonMeggles]

@skyguy1990 Yeah, I can never stop watching him in A Policeman's Lot. He's brilliant.

[ttiffwashere]

why does the major general look familiar,,,?

[thepantweaver]

This song sounds veeeeery strange when not sung by a bass-bariton.