Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Monday 16 November 1936, page 4


"PIRATES OF

PENZANCE."/

Double Bill at Theatre Royal.

The Gilbert and Sullivan court-room extravaganza, "Trial by Jury," opened a aubert and Sullivan night on Saturday, nt the Theatre Royal. Mr. Clifford Cowley played the unlearned and extremely uncon-ventional judge with a wealth of ' infectious nonsense and grolesquerle, and the whole company joined in the frolic. By the time the curtain had gonn up on "Pirates of Penzance," there was no sign of that tired-ness which sometimes afflicts companies whose whole life is spent in the service of the same round of musical plays.

The choral work in the longer opera was exceptionally good. Among players. Miss Helen Langton made an outstanding impres-sion as Mabel, and her crystal-bright singing of "Poor Wan'ring One" had to be repeated several times. The other notable voice was that of Miss Evelyn Hall, as Ruth. Once again, one had to bemoan that contralto parts In the Savoy operas were not always given vocal prominence.

Mr. Richard Watson, as the sergeant of police, confirmed previous impressions ttat he is a mellow comedian, with a good voice. "Pirates of Penzance" gives less opportunity to Mr. Ivan Menzies (as the model majorgeneral) than does "The Yeoman of the Guard," but he held the floor in great style while enumerating his military virtues In Act. I. Mr. Godfrey Stirling made a very agreeable and earnest Frederic, and Mr. Ber-nard Manning a fearsome Pirate King.

The company still needs exercise In the business of speaking, rather than reciting, its unscored lines, but the production as a whole la lively and fresh.