‘Spirited Pirates in G&S update’
Wolverhampton Express & Star, by Jerald Smith
This funky, sexed-up version of Gilbert & Sullivans classic operetta brought new life and a new audience to an art form to all intense and purposes had become stale. BAOS have captured the spirit of Joseph Papps 1980 New York production in a lively and upbeat version that still manages to convey the satirical cutting edge of the original. There are some excellent performances from the principals. Nick Hooper makes a model Major General and Ron York is a convincing Pirate King, aided by some swash buckling, if soft centred pirates. Edmund Hobday is a plausible Sergeant of Police. Dave Storey as Frederic, creates the right pop-star image, though his American accent seemed somewhat out of place. Rachel Cleary, as Kate, is a real talent with a beautiful voice, perhaps needing just a shade more discipline and a more fertile environment than the West Midlands if she is to develop her full potential. Helen Bibbys production is well set, costumed and lit, with lots of attention to detail, though the sound system seemed a little over powering at times. Musical Director Sarah Browne last night drew a good account of the reworked score from an accomplished orchestra. All in all a very worthwhile offering, and an engaging take on an old favourite. ‘G and S would have been proud’
Bridgnorth Journal, by John Gorman Bridgnorth has the Haydn festival, the folk festival, gallery Bridgnorth and art trail and latterly the jazz festival, but one event which has outlived all these put together, is the Bridgnorth Amateur Operatic Society’s annual musical production. This week, it presents its 52nd show; I think its been running longer than The Archers. I have always been a little uncomfortable with the ‘amateur’ in the society’s title because all the shows I have seen are anything but amateur; and last Mondays performance of the ‘Pirates of Penzance’ emphasised this even more. I Know what it takes to put just one actor on stage; the society through the good offices of stage manager Steve Garbett, choreographer Karen Ridley and director Helen Bibby, put on 50, plus 14 musicians (each of whom could easily grace the platform of any concert hall), conducted by MD Sarah Browne. Gilbert and Sullivan might well be the father of musicals and for over 100 years their music and lyrics have entertained millions all over the world. The BAOS do the founding fathers proud: from the chorus of perfidious pirates, funny policemen, lovely ladies, demure maids and pretty daughters to soloists of the magnificent Major-General, the swash buckling Pirate King and the heroic Frederic, each and every performer sing and dance with the joy which G and S infused into their songs. Everybody was just right. One thing, always bound to gladden my heart s to see talented young people standing on the threshold of a stage career. Rachel Cleary is such a performer, with a glass cracking voice, facial expressions which any actress would give her eye teeth for and the movement of a ballet dancer. A cold damp and dreary Monday night on Bridgnorth was made warm and highly entertaining by Bridgnorth Operatic Society may it reign for another 50 years. NODA Review by Jean Beard The band of merry pirates entered through the auditorium with great gusto. In her role as Ruth, Sylvia Best certainly lived up to her name. Rachel Cleary as Mabel sang prettily and Ron York as the Pirate King cut a very dashing figure. The lighting was very effective, in particular for the closing of Act I, when the whole company were in fine voice for the rendering of ‘Hail Poetry’. With the arrival of the policeman Act II took on a more comic note and the full house audience enjoyed the performance. | 
