The Pirates of Penzance holds a certain significance to the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), being the first performance on the Lyric Theatre stage when the curtains first rose on 7 February 1985. As QPAC quickly approaches its 40th Anniversary, the Brisbane-based arts company Prospero Arts are working to offer an In-Concert version of the iconic Gilbert and Sullivan musical on the Concert Hall stage, for six shows from 5 December 2024 to 8 December 2024.
Directed by Stuart Maunder, The Pirates of Penzance – In Concert is set to feature an Australian cast – some familiar names to the musical, and some who will be performing in their roles for the first time. Ben Mingay (Packed to the Rafters, Sweeney Todd) is set to play the Pirate King, while John Wood (Blue Heelers, The Great Divide) will appear as the Sergeant of Police. First Nations soprano Nina Korbe (West Side Story) will perform as Mabel, alongside Billy Bourchier (West Side Story, The Book of Mormon) as the Pirate Apprentice Frederic. Bourchier returns to the role following his performance as Frederic during the 2015 season of The Pirates of Penzance by the former Harvest Rain Theatre Company. John Wood also returns from that same production, albeit as the Sargent of Police rather than the Major General.
Accompanying the cast will be a full 23-piece orchestra, performing iconic songs from the original production, including “I am a Pirate King”, “Poor Wandering One”, and the iconic “I am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General”. Music director Isaac Haywood will lead the orchestra. It should be noted that this appears to be the original production and not the version performed by Essgee Entertainment (Feat. Simon Gallaher and the late Jon English), which featured a more comical slant to the narrative/songs etc.
Prospero Arts Managing Director Hayley Johnson expressed her excitement about the production and its line-up:
It’s always such a satisfying journey to take a show that is so well known with much loved music and stories and observe the amazing work of professionals like Director Stuart Maunder and Music Director Isaac Haywood. It’s going to be such a treat to present their reimagined take on this iconic classic to audiences performed by acclaimed stars like Ben Mingay, John Wood, Billy Bourchier and Nina Korbe.
This in-concert style of presentation is always surprising in that it creates a new awareness of just how beautiful these musical scores are through the live, on-stage presence of the orchestra. With a 23-piece orchestra (our largest yet), audiences will again get to experience that in all its glory – and The Pirates of Penzance is just the perfect vehicle for it.
This marks Prospero Arts’ fourth production, following their productions of Singin’ in the Rain – In Concert (2022), The Wizard of Oz – In Concert (2023), and Jersey Boys – In Concert (2024), all co-presented by QPAC. Like the other In Concert offerings, The Pirates of Penzance – In Concert is set to be Brisbane exclusive.
Tickets to The Pirates of Penzance – In Concert can be booked either via the QPAC Website, or by calling their box office team on 136 246.
