On March 25, Fort Hays State University hosted the Encore series presentation of The H.M.S. Pinafore, a two-act comic opera set on a British ship by the same name. This production by Gilbert and Sullivan premiered in 1878 and ran for 571 performances. W.S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan teamed up to successfully compose fourteen comic operas similar to the H.M.S Pinafore with Gilbert creating the in opera text, or libretto, and Sullivan the musical composer. Together, with the help of their producer Richard D’Oyly Carter, they built the Savoy Theatre in 1881.
Through dialogue and character interactions, it is apparent that the creation of the H.M.S. Pinafore was to satirize Britain’s Navy and its dependence of the concept of rank. Aboard the ship is the Captain Corcoran and his lovely daughter Josephine who is in marriage talks with Sir Joseph Porter, an Admiral above her station. But alas, she is enamored by Ralph Rackstraw, a lowly seaman she could surely never love due to her elevated station and the disappointment of her father. Captain Corcoran has always been attracted to Buttercup, the round ‘n rosy den mother of the ship who is below his station.
Sir Joseph, a very short man with a very tall pluming hat boards the Pinafore with his cousins and his sisters and his aunts (it’s a song) who have come to meet the new possible addition to their family. She is hesitant to accept his proposal but is humoring the advance for the sake of her father. In a conversation with Sir Joseph, he unknowingly encourages Josephine to accept Ralph regardless of his station when he reveals that love is a platform which equalizes the unequal and she then rejects The Admiral’s marriage proposal.
The twist ending (spoiler alert!) is that the Captain and Ralph were actually switched at birth by a Buttercup in her younger years of midwifery. From this lesson, the audience sees that both men, even in their incorrect social classes were hard working, decent men, each no better than the other. This revelation yields the perfect awkward happy ending with Josephine in the arms of Ralph, her father in those of Buttercup’s, and Sir Joseph engaged to his cousin who fawned over him more than an average cousin should.
This opera was highly enjoyable. When the curtains withdrew I was instantly suckered into the set. The wooden browns of the ship were rich and gave the illusion of being on an actual vessel. At the forefront, a large mast with a sail that appeared to hang from the heavens was complimented by an upstage rope ladder which all added a great deal of visual depth. The back drop was lush in deep blue waves and showcased two ships to give the appearance of a great distance between. The actors’ costumes, accents, and old fashioned choreography seemed so authentic. The greatest joke of this production, based on the audience’s laughter, was a slight deviation away from the typical script when after the start of the second act, Captain Corcoran and Sir Joseph are enjoying some alcoholic refreshments and use the tables service bells as telephones and commence to unknowingly speaking to each other as they are seated at the same table. Captain Corcoran exclaims, “I hear Fort Hays State University is in need of a new President! I think I’ll give it a shot if this Captain thing doesn’t work out!”