Based on the real-life story of history’s Grace O’Malley – an Irish Chieftain and notorious pirate, The Pirate Queen is an adventure chronicling the compelling, inspiring heroine who led an extraordinary life as a rogue, lover and mother in 16th-century Ireland. To protect her people and save her one true love, O’Malley must confront the one woman more powerful than her — her fierce rival, Queen Elizabeth I of England.
From the writers of Les Misérables and Miss Saigon, the show combines classic storytelling and a sweeping score, with the powerful, vibrant traditions of Irish dance and song, to create a modern musical event that is both historic romance and a timeless epic.
Excited to be celebrating their 80th anniversary in 2025, MLOC Productions is the third oldest community theatre group in Australia. Founded in 1945 as the Mordialloc Philharmonic Society, they originally attracted return service men and their wives to form part of an 80-strong choir. Early performances included the opening of 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. By 1985, the group had become Mordialloc Light Opera Company (eventually abbreviated to MLOC) and have been performing a variety of productions in south-east Melbourne ever since. The Pirate Queen is an Australian first!
Being a new production to Australia, I had no idea what to expect and no pre-conceived expectations which is always adds difference either way because most shows (especially musicals) one has usually seen or at least heard about before. All I knew was that MLOC had done their amazing promo photo shoot at The Polly Woodside in Melbourne which intrigued me to see the show along with advice from a friend who went to the opening night and had loved it.
Firstly, this is a HUGE show requiring HUGE vocals and the main roles especially really have their work cut out for them in every song. HUGE applause therefore to Ella Fryer in her first lead role in a musical (playing ‘Grace O’Malley’) and Nickolas Brown, also his first lead role in a full-scale show (playing Grace’s true love ‘Tiernan’).
I think the character of Grace probably sang the equivalent of about an hour total, unbelievable stamina up there girl, good job!
Tiernan’s solo ‘I’ll Be There’ was a memorable rendition of heartfelt connection we hope all our men feel for us women, and coming from someone so young, very impressive!
Their entire supporting cast has enthusiasm to boot, (boots donned from the era of course). Varying ages in the show from Grace’s son (played by Jake Christie) to those like Evleen (played by Margot Sephton a MLOC life member) with a ton of stage presence over decades was lovely to see. It’s so important in theatre to bring up the next generation and that’s why I think community theatre groups just keep going full steam ahead; they are full of encouragement and support, both on and off the stage and they are not afraid to try something new.
The story of The Pirate Queen resonated a little of Disney’s ‘Mulan’ at the start as Grace pretends she’s a boy to get onto her father’s ship unnoticed, ‘Les Mis’ with sorrow and hardship, then throwing in some interesting accents similar to that given in ‘SIX’ and ‘Hamilton’. This newcomer to musical theatre certainly has the potential to fit in right where aiming its sword.
And no pirate themed anything would be complete without a sword fight or three. I particularly liked the one where they used slow motion and moderate strobe effect lighting (favourable note here that full/fast strobes are so unsuitable for many watching and though this show could’ve used them they didn’t).
Stormy seas are brought to life with the sudden drop of a massive sail giving us on our seats a gasp with it plummeting near the actors underneath, but yes, thankfully it was part of the theatrics, phew!
Transportation to the Emerald Isle is made authentic by the beautiful music and Celtic feel (special mention to Matthew Horsley, Claire Rainey & Brodie Nash on the pipes and whistles). The energy and true Irish dancing to this music has you toe tapping and there is great musicality in the choreography, as also noticed and mentioned by the friend I went with. We gave a shout out to Wendy Perrow. I couldn’t take my eyes off her quick feet embracing the poetry in motion of all those hops and heels up with the biggest smile of enjoyment on every step; she was having a ball portraying the Irish liveliness of more joyous scenes in weddings and birth celebrations (a baby born on stage, was a new one for me).
The costuming is exquisite; an embellished white gown of the Queen, the rich red and gold of those who guard her empire, and those dancing around the maypole with puffed sleeves, long petticoats and velvet ribbons – wonderful details along with those pirate outfits and boots on the ship sailing Clew Bay in 1558, the domain of the O’Malley clan.
‘Clan Rivalry’ is one thing I’ve experienced first-hand; I married a ‘Campbell’ and I found out you cannot visit the Highlands even these days without comments about their history with the ‘MacDonalds’ competing for dominance from every tour guide and pub owner…. However in this show the O’Malleys must make alliances with the O’Flaherty clan and so together the fathers of Grace O’Malley and Donal O’Flaherty (played entertainingly by Tyler Delacretaz) make a pact, and Tiernan, Grace’s true love, must step aside. Will he ever have the chance to reunite with her again? After all, Grace did say ‘you have my hand’ earlier…..
One thing is surely known after seeing The Pirate Queen’s curtain closing, the adventure spirit is alive and well in amateur theatre and I look forward to more shows from MLOC.
Congratulations to the creative team and cast, it takes bravery to put on a show that hasn’t been seen here before and you have conquered!
CAST
GRACE Ella Fryer
TIERNAN Nickolas Brown
LORD BINGHAM Keegan Dart
QUEEN ELIZABETH I Niamh McPartland
DONAL O’FLAHERTY Tyler Delacretaz
DUBHDARA Jarod Rhine-Davis
CHIEFTAN O’FLAHERTY Nicholas Bywater
EVLEEN Margot Sephton
MAJELLA Bridie Clark
Ensemble:
Amber Hoffman, Amy McKie, Arlo Hitchman, Bailey Ogden, Carmilo Idarrage, Christina Gladman, Edison Hernandez Castrillon, Hope Beale, Jake Christie, Lyndsay C Kirkham, Madeleine Fox, Maria Ah-Yu, Mikayla Brown, Shannon Woollard, Tanya Steele, Tegan Haywood, Shayla Warwick, Shelley Connell, Veronica Devlin, Wendy Perrow.
Playing: 1-19 July, 2025
Venue: Frankston Arts Centre, 27-37 Davey St. Frankston, Vic. The venue (undergoing some renovation currently didn’t affect our viewing) has its own paid car parking onsite, lots of street parking around the area plus heaps of restaurants and cafes, but there is also a generously sufficient bar, coffee and snack bar inside the theatre venue itself too.
Production Team:
Artistic Director – Chris Ryan
Musical Director – Matthew Pines
Choreographer – Bridie Clark
Vocal Director – Alyssa Sorgiovanni
Production Manager – Debbie Jenkins
Sound Designer – Daniel Bowen & James Dobson
Lighting Designer – Daniel Bowen & Chris Ryan
Costume Co-ordinator – Debbie Jenkins
Book by ALAIN BOUBLIL, CLAUDE-MICHEL SCHÖNBERG, RICHARD MALTBY JR.
Music By CLAUDE-MICHEL SCHÖNBERG
Lyrics By ALAIN BOUBLIL, RICHARD MALTBY JR., JOHN DEMPSEY
To book tickets to The Pirate Queen, please visit https://mloc.org.au/productions/the-pirate-queen/.
