The Gondoliers
The Mikado
The Sorcerer
The Martyr of Antioch
Ruddigore
The Yeomen of the Guard
Other works performed by St Davids Players
St Davids Players
past productions
HMS Pinafore
The Pirates of Penzance
Trial by Jury
Iolanthe
Princess Ida
Utopia (Limited)
The Grand Duke
Patience
Thespis
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THE SAVOY OPERAS
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
or, THE SLAVE OF DUTY
Read more about THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
#ExeterGandS
ST DAVID’S PLAYERS
Gilbert and Sullivan Society · Exeter · Devon
Written by W S Gilbert
Composed by Arthur Sullivan
The ‘official’ Première was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York City on 31st December 1879.
However, in order to secure British copyright, a D’Oyly Carte touring company gave a perfunctory performance the afternoon before the New York Première at the Royal Bijou Theatre, Paignton, Devon.
St David’s Players’ productions: (click to expand)
18 — 21 September 1974
The Barnfield Theatre, Exeter
Major General Stanley — Malcolm Roberts
The Pirate King — Gareth Herbert
Samuel — Hugh Darnley-Smith
Frederic — Gordon Pike
Sergeant of Police — Glenn Cannon
Mabel — Eileen Clarke
Edith — Margaret Loo
Isabel — Mary Darnley-Smith
Ruth — Margaret Walker
Producer — GLENN CANNON
Musical Director — SYLVIA DOIDGE
8 — 12 October 1985
The Barnfield Theatre, Exeter
(Coupled with THE ZOO)
Major General Stanley — Gerald Quest
The Pirate King — Derek Parker
Samuel — Maurice Scant
Frederic — Phil Hobbs
Sergeant of Police — John Stuart
Mabel — Mary Pickard
Edith — Nicky Hobbs
Kate — Margaret Thomson
Isabel — Joanna Mardon
Ruth — Susan Sprague
Producer — IAN BOND
Musical Director — MARK PERRY
14 — 15 February 1992
The Barnfield Theatre, Exeter
(Concert production)
Major General Stanley / Narrator — Ian Bond
The Pirate King — John Stuart
Samuel — Richard Williams / Rod Stewart
Frederic — Andrew May
Sergeant of Police — Derek Parker
Mabel — Madeleine Haydon
Edith — Lorraine Colebrook
Kate — Bobbie Hiscock
Ruth — Jane May
Producer — IAN BOND
Musical Director — DIANA DRAISEY
6 — 11 October 1997
The Barnfield Theatre, Exeter
Major General Stanley — Colin Mackenzie*
The Pirate King — Guy Somerfield
Samuel — Andrew Butler
Frederic — Andrew May
Sergeant of Police — Mike Canning
Mabel — Penny Daw
Edith — Sarah-Jo White
Kate — Lynda Dobson
Isabel — Pam Swan
Ruth — Christine West
Director — JANE MAY
Musical Director — MARY PICKARD
______________________________________________________________________
Due to the indisposition of Colin MacKenzie following the dress rehearsal, Ian Bond played the role of Major General Stanley from 6th October onwards
10 — 14 October 2006
The Barnfield Theatre, Exeter
Major General Stanley — Colin Mackenzie
The Pirate King — Tim Hunt
Samuel — Tim Johns
Frederic — Mark Hurford
Sergeant of Police — Keith Wadlan
Mabel — Penny Daw
Edith — Eleanor Bridgman
Kate — Sarah Ford
Isabel — Kate Johns
Ruth — Jane May
Chorus of Pirates
Graeme Barnell, David Bridgman, John Candler, Chris Gould,
Alma Harding, Peter Johnson, Andy May, David McIlroy, Mike Redman, Ian Spackman, Stephen TregaleChorus of Policemen
Bill Anderton, Alan Baker, Mark Drysdale, Mike Hiscock, Peter Sargent, Brian Small, Maurice Weldrake, Colin Wilson
Major-General Stanley’s daughters & household
Sarah Aubrey, Caroline Avery, Jane Gerrish, Viv Glanfield, Nicky Gould
Heather Gould, Susan Gunn-Johnson, Sue Hiscock, Sue King,
Susan Mizen, Gina Redman, Marianne Skinner, Pam Swan, Rose Swift, Hilary Todd, Jackie Turner, Christine West, Toni WilsonDirector — MARY PICKARD
Musical Director — MARK PERRY
6 — 10 October 2015
Download programme (PDF 14.4mb)
The Barnfield Theatre, Exeter
Major General Stanley — Mark Ollier
The Pirate King — Tim Hunt
Samuel — Mark Hurford
Frederic — Samuel Littlefair
Sergeant of Police — Peter Francis
Mabel — Nicola Wilkes
Edith — Sheena Galpin
Kate — Eleanor Bridgman
Isabel — Tina Blaker
Ruth — Toni Bishop
Chorus of Pirates
Neville Gibbings, Chris Gould, Nick Jones, David McIlroy, Ian Spackman
Stephen Tregale, Philip TurnerChorus of Policemen
Rob Chave, Steve Collings, Richard Johnson, Paul Luffman, Ian Nash,
Peter Sargent, Michael Sharpe, Brian Small, Warren Tennant,
Richard WeareMajor-General Stanley’s daughters & 'theatre audience'
Sarah Aubrey, Sarah Berry, Sarah Butler Evans, Debbie Cole
Kathryn Collings, Dettie Ellerby, Heather Gould, Holly Gould
Nicky Gould, Susan Gunn-Johnson, Alma Harding
Kellyjean Trellfall-McGovern, Rose Swift, Jackie Turner
Debbie Walsh, Leala WatsonDirector — MARTIN J KINGSTON
Musical Director — MARGARET AAGESEN HUGHES
All photos © Christopher Wilson 2015
A brief synopsis:
The Pirates of Penzance is Gilbert and Sullivan’s most performed production.
It follows the adventures of Frederic, whose hard-of-hearing nurse mistakenly signs him up as a pirate apprentice instead of to a more honest profession. On his 21st birthday he is released from his apprenticeship, leaves the pirates to become a law-abiding citizen and meets and falls in love with the beautiful Mabel.
Having a very strong sense of duty, he decides to lead the police in an attempt to capture the pirates.
However, a quirk of fate results in him still being bound to the pirates. Now his sense of duty sees him torn between re-joining the pirates and aiding the police in capturing them.
Madcap adventures follow, with blundering policemen and swashbuckling pirates.