Book and Lyrics by
DAVID EATON
with additional lyrics and adaptations
from the comic opera librettos of
Original Book and Lyrics
© Copyright 1997 by David Eaton
All rights reserved
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The Pirates of Pinafore is not a G&S parody in the usual sense. Rather it is written as a musical comedy which both includes and pokes fun at G&S conventions. My hope was that this approach would be more appealing (commercial) to a wider audience.
The characters of Gilbert and Sullivan appear in the piece. Several of Gilbert's lines are his own quips, and the music is entirely Sullivan's with either new lyrics or with modified Gilbert lyrics.
There are several G&S facts incorporated into the otherwise totally fictional topsy-turvy story. These bits and pieces of history should be easily recognized by a G&S enthusiast. This mixed fact bag includes references to the carpet quarrel, Gilbert as barrister, Sullivan's kidney stones, the D'Oyly Carte New York production of Pinafore, and, the most outrageous fact, that D'Oyly Carte's mutinous financiers actually hired thugs to storm the stage during a performance of H.M.S. Pinafore intent upon stealing the scenery. (What writer would have the courage to make that up?!)
Musically, something interesting occurred as I was writing the first scene between Billy and Lisa, our young lovers. Before they sing "Sweet and Low" I wanted just the right tune by Sullivan to underscore their dialogue. I chose "The Minuet" from The Sorcerer. As I was listening to the minuet, I started to hum "Sweet and Low" and discovered that they worked in perfect counterpoint to each other. It's really quite pretty.
I do have a cassette of the score with vocals and copies of the Dayton Playhouse workshop production program and reviews, if anyone is interested.
If a nonprofit organization would like to stage or perform a concert version of all or part of the "Pirates of Pinafore", please contact me at the address on the title sheet. Otherwise, all rights are reserved.
I really don't know if the Pirates of Pinafore is commercial theatre or not. The initial production led to major cuts and quite a bit of rewriting. It has not been performed since then. The local critics liked the piece the first time around, however, and I was told if they didn't they would have let me know.
Since then, two other professionals in the theatre, the former head of the Orlando Opera Company (I may not have that name correct) who has produced G&S comic operas, and the friend of a fried now teaching at a Florida university and who, while living in NY, was responsible for evaluating scripts for his producer employer. (He credits himself with discovering the play "A Few Good Men".)
Both of these gentlemen have read the revised script. The former especially liked the lyrics but concluded the book lacked a single thru-line, one overriding theme from beginning to end. The second gentlemen liked the book but thought it difficult to follow who was who at times. However, he concluded, this was appropriate for a book spoofing G&S, but, a line or two of clarification here and there wouldn't hurt.
So that's where The Pirates of Pinafore stands in the current limited opinion poll. I'm just too close to it to really have an objective opinion. I do consider it a work in progress and, if it were fully staged again, I would want to have the opportunity to fix what needs fixing during the rehearsal period and performances before a live audience.
Page updated 30 May 1999