Gilbert & Sullivan - The Pirates of Penzance / Kline, Ronstadt, Smith, Routledge, Delacorte Theater (Broadway Theatre Archive)
by Joshua White (II), Wilford Leach
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: George Rose, Kevin Kline, Linda Ronstadt, Patricia Routledge, Rex SmithDirector: Joshua White (II), Wilford Leach
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 120 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-10-22
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Kultur Video
Movie Reviews of Gilbert & Sullivan - The Pirates of Penzance / Kline, Ronstadt, Smith, Routledge, Delacorte Theater (Broadway Theatre Archive)
Movie Review: Strictly for collectors?
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this DVD because of my addiction to Gilbert & Sullivan, and "Pirates" in particular, but I hesitate to recommend it to someone encountering the opera for the first time (not that there are any other better options on the market, regrettably). It is full of energy and great fun but, as other reviewers have noted, the picture quality is often very poor, and, especially in the choruses, the sound is frequently "muddy". Kevin Kline and the other principals who went on to make the later "Pirates" film are all in good voice here (although I cannot understand why George Rose introduced the irritating nasal whine in "I am an orphan boy" here, which he later repeated in the film - there must be some subtle cultural reference that I am missing). Linda Ronstadt seems less secure in her singing than she was in the film, but perhaps that is just the result of a live performance as opposed to multiple takes. I agree with other reviewers that Patricia Routledge's performance as Ruth is outstanding, far better than Angela Lansbury's in the film. For any G&S fan, that alone is good enough reason to buy the DVD.
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Summary of Gilbert & Sullivan - The Pirates of Penzance / Kline, Ronstadt, Smith, Routledge, Delacorte Theater (Broadway Theatre Archive)
Gilbert and Sullivan's raucous operatic tale is captured in all its fun and glory in this production, recorded live at Central Park's Delacorte Theater. Kevin Kline sparkles as the swashbuckling and libidinous Pirate King while Linda Ronstadt makes her theatrical debut as the lovely and virginal Mabel. When Mabel and Frederic, a young pirate bound to serve the Pirate King, fall in love, complications arise and high spirited antics ensue. The incomparable cast offers the best in this boisterous romp. ENDThis Pirates of Penzance is primarily a historical document, part of the Broadway Theater Archive television series. It presents, with some inevitable, tiny technical shortcomings, a live 1980 performance in Central Park, not the 1983 movie of the same name that also starred Linda Ronstadt and Kevin Kline. Those who remember that film, which had the benefit of retakes and editing, a lavish production budget, and the spaciousness of a Hollywood studio, may find this video less polished. On its own terms, it is nonetheless thoroughly enjoyable.
Advantages of this live performance include a sense of spontaneity, and the feeling of being part of a theatrical audience that is visibly and audibly having a very good time. The (reduced and partly electronic) orchestra is also visible; scenery is minimal; the onstage pirate boat, excellent for a live production, is no match for what a movie can offer. The voices are uneven, and some of them evoke Broadway more than London. But the performance is well styled, lively, and energetic. Gilbert and Sullivan's witty sparkle comes through clearly. --Joe McLellan
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