The flags waved, the sailors danced, the orchestra played, the laughs ensued, the lovers sang, the adults joked, the musical encores flowed, and joy surged last night at the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players production of H.M.S. Pinafore or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor at City Center. Last week, the company superbly performed the relatively unknown Iolanthe . But this week, the company is performing Sir Arthur Sullivan and Sir William S. Gilbert's first big musical hit, which has been loved by theatergoers since it premiered in London almost 125 years ago.

Although the show is full of wonderful music, lyrics, and comedy, what allows it to remain popular with contemporary theatergoing audiences is its campy satire of people's obsessions with class distinctions. In the opera, which takes place on the British navy ship H.M.S. Pinafore during Victorian times, "Able Seaman" and sailor Ralph Rackstraw falls in love with Josephine, daughter of Captain Corcoran, who is Commander of the ship. Josephine, as it happens, is also in love with Ralph, but she has been pre-arranged to marry First Lord of the Admiralty Sir Joseph Porter. At the end of Act I, when Ralph and Josephine declare their love for each other, they decide that they will ignore the class regulations of British society and run off together.

In the midst of the lovers' struggle, there is the comic behavior of Captain Corcoran, a man who claims that he is never sick at sea or uses a " ;Big, big D" ("What, never?" asks the captain's crew, and he replies "Hardly ever!"); Sir Joseph Porter, an egotist who claims to be "The Monarch of the Sea" although he has hardly been to sea in his entire life; a "plump and pleasant" bumboat woman called " Little Buttercup"; and the villainous sailor Dick Deadeye, who is the ugliest sailor among the crew and reminds them of their lowly economic and social status. The solos, duets, and trios of these characters are incredibly delightful and humorous as they describe themselves and their romantic intentions. For example, in "When I was a Lad," which is Sir Joseph's opening solo song, he describes how he became the leading officer in the British Navy by never thinking for himself, and only listening to the advice of his political party. "I thought so little, they rewarded me, by making me the Ruler of the Queen's Navee!" he declares to a chorus of male sailors and young women.

The show ends with an economic solution that solves everyone's problems. "Little Buttercup" explains that Ralph and Captain Corcoran were switched at birth, meaning that Ralph should really be the Captain and that Captain Corcoran should be a sailor. Although this solution effectively solves the predicaments of the show, allowing Ralph to marry Josephine and Captain Corcoran to marry "Little Buttercup," it is implausible because Ralph is half the age of Captain Corcoran. But – does that really matter? Audiences over a hundred years ago did not seem to care, and the audience at this production did not raise a holler either.

Stephen Quint as Sir Joseph Porter and Keith Jurosko as Captain Corcoran are a hilarious duo wonderful to behold. In Act II, these two men and Elizabeth Hillebrand as Josephine perform the famous trio "Never Mind the Why and Wherefore," in which they praise Josephine's upcoming marriage as "a humble captain's daughter" to Sir Joseph, "a lord who rules the water." This song is special because of its many encores. After the song is performed for the first time, conductor Albert Bergeret tunes up his 25-person orchestra again, and the actors sing yet again. Each successive time, they make hilarious use of random stage props such as bells and ropes. In the midst of such comic free-for-all, young actors Michael Scott Harris and Elizabeth Hillebrand surprisingly stole the show at many points for their marvelous singing abilities, which shine especially during their duet " Refrain, Audacious Tar" in Act I in which she rejects his love because he is of low birth. To hear each of them beautifully sing their high musical notes might be compared to the power of medicine.

The stage direction of Albert Bergeret and Bill Fabris, similar to many of the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players productions, is very simple and straightforward. While reciting dialogue, the actors tend to stand still and talk directly to the audience. But it effectively mirrors the manner in which the show was originally performed, bringing attention to Gilbert's and Sullivan's text and the show's performers rather than the direction, itself. Bill Fabris' light choreography small, yet well-done movements including sailors rocking back and forth, a soft-shoe routine for Sir Joseph, Captain Corcoran, and Joseph to perform during "Never Mind the Why and Wherefore," and elaborate poses for the entire company at the end of each act.

After the rousing performance, the audience was full of cheer for the great musical and comedic performances mirroring an important character of the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players productions: respect for the more traditional qualities of musical theater. Anyone who enjoys not just traditional, but comical, fun, and flamboyant musical theater is encouraged to attend The Mikado , the company's final production at City Center next week, which along with H.M.S. Pinafore and Pirates of Penzance , is one of Gilbert and Sullivan's most famous and revered musicals.

H.M.S. Pinafore, or The Lass That Loved a Sailor

Presented by the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players

City Center, 130 West 55^th Street, New York, NY 10019

$40.00 - $65.00

212-581-1212

January 16 – 18