Hayes Theatre Co has made their way to the Wollongong stage at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, with a fresh and flamboyant flair to Gilbert and Sullivan’s seminal classic of The Pirates of Penzance (or The Slave of Duty).
Usually, a cast of around 40 actors, this delightful production decided to challenge their performers by asking the five of them to play the entire ensemble. This feat could very easily have become confusing and overwhelming for both the actors and the audience, but this cast made the stage their own and gave it their all to create a fast-paced and dynamic performance with seamless or in Billie Palin’s case, intentionally comedic on-stage quick-changes.
The use of the piano was very well done, becoming a change-room, a monologue-worthy soap box, and an off-stage curtain, all while pouring out beautiful scores. That piano is arguably the sixth and most dynamic cast member. Whilst a few of the cast members played it during the 2-hour performance, it is the dedication and consistency of Trevor Jones that should be commended as he somehow managed to continue playing whilst being carted around and changing costume in the blink of an eye, and have the audience in stitches with his lyric changes and commendable diction and pace during ‘I Am the Very Model’.
It’s a personal favourite when a performance becomes an immersive experience like this one, and I adore it when the theatre staff take the theme in stride as the IPAC has done. From small costume additions to the ushers to a special cocktail for the event, in addition to on-stage seating and audience-actor interactions, The Pirates of Penzance had it all. Some of the audience members really stole the show during their five minutes of fame and it just made for a beautiful and joyful experience.
Amid some technical difficulties, the cast remained cool and level-headed. Aside from one hiccup, where the audience stepped in to maintain morale and keep the energy high, the cast didn’t miss a beat.
The vocals and dynamic accent work of Brittanie Shipway was absolutely breathtaking. Her operatic range and ability to stay in and switch between such polarising opposite characters is just incredible. She brought the “wow” factor times ten, which is especially hard to maintain when you’re onstage for all but a few moments of a show of this length. In the company of a big name like Jay Laga’aia who exudes passion and charisma, and is just such a treat to watch, Shipway made certain that she was not to be forgotten.
Maxwell Simon was everything that Fredric should be. His voice had such power and his portrayal of a naïve but determined to be self-assured boy was utterly hilarious. His physical comedy was just brilliant, capturing the attention of the audience whether he was in the spotlight or not.
The Pirates of Penzance is the perfect show to watch to end the week, so make sure to grab yourself a ticket before they sail away from Wollongong by heading to the Merrigong Theatre Company’s website for the remaining shows this weekend!
To book tickets to The Pirates of Penzance, please visit https://merrigong.com.au/shows/the-pirates-of-penzance/.
This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.
