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Story
Synopsis
Inspired
by the success of their opera The Sorcerer, three days following closure,
Gilbert & Sullivan opened PINAFORE, Gilbert's father had been a
navel surgeon and family tradition had it that they were descended from Sir Humphrey
Gilbert, the navigator who landed in Newfoundland in 1583. Moreover, he loved
the sea. It was natural then, for him to turn his satirical eye on that
that hallowed institution ---- the British navy. The music Sullivan
provided drew heavily on English sea shanties, hornpipes and buoyant tunes
that find themselves irresistible to audiences. Having an inspired
libretto and score was not enough however. six weeks before the opening,
they went to great navel base at Portsmouth and boarded the Victory ---
Nelson's flagship. Gilbert made sketches and diagrams, translating these
into half-inch scale model of the quarterdeck. In fact the utmost
accuracy was demanded in all facets and D'Oyly Carte went so far as to have
the uniforms made by one of Portsmouth's leading naval tailors.
PINAFORE was not a smash success in the beginning. In spite of good
reviews, business was slack; the latter attributed to extraordinary heat
wave. The Comedy Opera Company directors six times posted closing
notices and six times D'Oyly Carte countermanded them . Sullivan, who
was conducting the Promenade Concerts at Convent Garden, put a selection of
songs from pinafore on the program and London went wild. Barrel organs
ground out salty tunes, Society danced to them and sheet music sold thousands
of copies each day. The headlines screamed: PINAFORE MANIA! There
followed a production (the Children's H.M.S. PINAFORE) played entirely by
young boys and girls and of course, the inevitable openings In New York,
Boston and Philadelphia, U.S. tours and unauthorized productions which
embroiled the two in lengthy litigation.
The story unfolds on the quarterdeck of the Pinafore at anchor in Portsmouth
Harbor. A rollicking crew of sailors led by Bill Bobstay their
boatswain, go briskly about their business. There is a welcome
interruption when Little Buttercup, a buxom bumboat woman, comes aboard with
her basket of goodies. After sailors bought all of her goods, she sounds
the first minor note when she suggests the "beneath a gay and frivolous
exterior there may lurk a canker-worm." Dick Deadeye, the ill-favored,
misshapen seaman knows full-well what she is alluding to.
The moment is broken with the entrance of Ralph, the smartest lad in all the
fleet, who sings a melancholy madrigal about his love of a lass above his
station. The problem of class distinctions and station are dealt with
and even Deadeye, the realist, knows that "captain's daughters don't
marry fore-mast hands." The gallant Captain Corcoran appears and it
is soon obvious he too nurtures a secret sorrow. His daughter Josephine
is sought in marriage by Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Admiralty, but
the foolish girl doesn't seem to take kindly to the match. Worse, when
he and his daughter are alone, she confesses that she has already given her
heart to another and, most terrible of all, to a common sailor. He tries
to reason with her and Josephine retires to her cabin to contemplate. In
the meantime, Sir Joseph Porter's barge approaches carrying his beautiful
entourage of beautiful sisters, cousins and aunts. Sir Joseph, in
a patter song, summarizes his remarkable rise through the ranks. His
utter lack of seagoing experience doesn't stop him from taking "a didactic
stance with professional naval people." Josephine comes on deck, where
Ralph sits pensively. He draws the courage to speak of his love of her.
Josephine is thrill, but bound by her position, rejects him nonetheless.
Ralph threatens to take his own life. Josephine comes running back to
tell him I love you!" With the connivance of the crew and all the
sisters, cousins and aunts, the two plan to steal away that night to be
married on shore. Dick Deadeye tries to remind them of their
differences.
Act two takes place later that evening. Captain Corcoran, alone on deck
save for the hidden Buttercup, sings a complaint to the moon. when he
discovers Buttercup, she hints that there is a change in store. Sir Joseph
arrives to announce that he is ready to take Josephine as his wife.
Misunderstanding Sir Joseph's message that 'love levels all ranks",
Josephine and Ralph run off. Deadeye informs the Captain. As the two,
accompanies by the crew and Buttercup make to leave, the Captain leaps out to
stop them. Ralph declares his love. Sir Joseph appears and in due course,
sends the Captain to his cabin and Ralph to the dungeon. Buttercup
discloses her secret; she mixed up two babes - one of low condition, one of
upper crust. The well-born babe was Ralph. The Captain the other. Josephine
cannot now marry Sir Joseph. All ends well of course. Josephine marries Ralph.
The Captain marries Buttercup and Sir Joseph is taken firmly in hand by First
Cousin Hebe.
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