Show Week – By Anna Trofimova

Well hello there!

My name is Petunia The Frail (aka Anna) and I am here to give you a little walk through the glory that was the show week of our wonderful production of Pirates Of Penzance!

This show has, by far, been the favourite of mine! Despite all the colourful bruises caused by the multiple fainting fits I had to ‘fall into’ throughout the show.  These could be caused by pretty much anything / anyone, but were mostly attributed to the appearance on the stage of either our fearsomely fabulous pirates or the main man, Fredric (honestly, you should see him without THE stage make up – terrifying…)

I wish I had the ability to convey even a fraction of the joy all of us got from this amazing production:  our sensational costumes (four layers of underskirts under the stage lights is not a fit for the light-hearted but still heart-broken we have to give them back); our absolutely fabulous set, props and lighting and all the talented people involved in those; our incredible production team – director Warren, choreographer and costume director Fay and our super MD Erica – who, through a lot of blood, sweat and tears (but mostly well-timed shouting and well-aimed threats) managed to get us all in line with a tremendous show as a result (we were more surprised than any one else); the crew themselves who are the most talented and wonderful (and ever so slightly unhinged) bunch of people and, of course, our amazing audience whose laughter truly made our experience complete.

A special mention should go to our great backstage crew whose, somewhat off-beat, sense of humour made being on stage even more unpredictable and exciting: the ever moving stage boulder in Act 1 that, in a ‘crouching tiger, hidden dragon’ fashion, with every show, ended up closer and closer to the edge of the stage so that a few of us nearly ended up in the orchestra pit with our wonderful musicians; the lovely faces and slightly rude impersonations performed by the crew in the wings while the rest of us tried our best to keep straight faces and act through it; and, during one of the Saturday’s shows, the ritual hanging of the beloved show teddy / pooch that Patty (aka Carla) left briefly unattended (there is photographic evidence)…  With so many of their talents directed at inventing ways of entertaining us, it is a real wonder the backstage crew still had the time to keep everything behind the scenes running so smoothly and without a glitch!

Show week also holds a lot of traditions for the cast members and the after-show activities: Thursday night, for example, is a karaoke night at a local pub/bar which some of the cast members use as a somewhat unusual vocal and dance warm up opportunity; Friday night is a curry night for the whole cast and, finally, Saturday night being the night of the infamous after-show party which includes the traditional cast nominations for things that have not gone quite according to plan during the performances; copious drinking and move-busting (some moves shown to us by our wonderful pianist, Alex, at the party were truly out of this world although her home made honey liquor might have had something to do with that…) and, this year, even a spot of Magic Mike style dancing routine we were treated to, quite unexpectedly, by a couple of the cast members. We all had a chance to recover and reflect  on the week at a bbq on Sunday.

All this has not even scratched the surface of all the one fun antics we get up to in the run up to and during our show. And now our crazy, maddening and fabulous show week is over, the post-show blues are looming over the corner so roll on September and the start of the rehearsals for our next terrific production – The Little Mermaid.  Come and join us and experience the joy of SMP and performing for yourself!!

The Blues – By Debbie Petrou

Hello me hearties, Hic! This is your drunken daughter Constance (Debbie) today is a sad day in our Pirates HQ as many of the cast have headed back to work and the sunken feeling that the show has set sail is setting in.

We have had the best time from start to finish, we have laughed together and sometimes even at each other!

We have been spoilt with beautiful costumes and fantastic set! Creative direction and endless guidance in singing.

This has been one of the most challenging shows for myself however I am so proud of what we have achieved and can honestly say it is my favourite show to date. Nothing has come close.

We now head into our summer break and will head back to SMP land for our pantomime Little Mermaid which I’m sure will be fantastic!!

Anchors aweigh me hearties I’m off to marry the Pirate King!!!

It’s been a pleasure. “sailors tell stories, Pirates make legends”

Woof!

I’m the pooch protecting my dear Patti (played by Carla Segel) and her presbyterian sisters from these pirate ruffians in SMP’s ‘Pirates of Penzance’.

The pirate scoundrels have hounded us all week and last night, our opening night was no exception!

There were a lot more pirates than usual yesterday, they were sitting in red seats banging their hands together and making loud cheering noises after each musical number!

I will keep my eye on them tonight! I must admit, although I was a little bit scared of the audience pirates, they did help to create a rather fabulous energy for the performers and the production was wildly entertaining for everyone involved!

Last night I felt like howling with joy after the show. Patti thought I was just a bit overexcited (I chased my tail just once…) after being around all these people to bark at but it was more than that. I was a proud pup last night.

These humans have worked very hard to put on such a good show and to see them performing is a real joy. I’d love everyone to come along and support them so please do book your tickets (and also know that audience pirates will be monitored!).

Here’s what the audience thought of our show:

Pirates of Penzance runs from 7th-10th June and tickets are available to buy through the Millfield box office here:

Well shiver me timbers, it’s that time again!

Welcome back to another instalment of SMP’s ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ Blog!

I’m Michael and I play the peculiarly looking ‘Rowan the Misplaced’ now I say ‘peculiar’ because you’ll spot him in his wonderfully fabulous ‘Green crushed velvet cape, obscenely floppy hat and looking rather like an ‘artist/painter’ than Pirate. Nonetheless he has been accepted into the ‘rollicking band of Pirates’ which is lead by the outstandingly talented Graham Wall who plays our ‘Pirate King’

Monday night was our ‘Tech Run’ now usually Tech Runs can become a bit tedious, as often whilst running the show, we are asked to frequently stop to allow the crew to make some changes to the set, lights or sound. But this appeared to not be the case on Monday, everything went smoothly and from a cast member’s point this was a blessing, as this gave us almost an extra Full run of the show. But this was only due to highly professional standards of our ‘Crew, Sound and Lighting’ team. I would just like to say how grateful the entire cast are for all of your hard work guys! – Ian Smith (Stage Manager) Aaron Day (Assistant Stage manager/Stage ferret!) Adam Humphries (Stage Crew) John Castle (Lighting) Phil Stannard (Sound) Matt McManus (Set design extraordinaire)

Tuesday night was our ‘Dress Run’ the dress run is usually the last ‘full run’ of the show before the curtain opens. Last night we were also joined by our full orchestra and pit singers all being lead by the incomparable Erika Gundensen. Suffice to say, last night went without a hitch, minus the few times us cast were corpsing on stage!!

Previously I wasn’t a massive G&S fan, but seeing Warren McWilliams’ vision of this ‘old and outdated’ show being brought to life has completely changed my mind about this show! It is packed full of all kinds of hilarity, energetic dances and a somewhat charming undertone. You’d be a fool to miss it!! I think I’ve finally found my calling in life!! Yo ho ho, it’s a pirate life for me!

You can still book your tickets online at www.MillfieldTheatre.co.uk

Pirates of Penzance runs from 7th-10th June and tickets are available to buy through the Millfield box office here:

Well shiver me timbers, it’s that time again!

Welcome back to another instalment of SMP’s ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ Blog!

I’m Michael and I play the peculiarly looking ‘Rowan the Misplaced’ now I say ‘peculiar’ because you’ll spot him in his wonderfully fabulous ‘Green crushed velvet cape, obscenely floppy hat and looking rather like an ‘artist/painter’ than Pirate. Nonetheless he has been accepted into the ‘rollicking band of Pirates’ which is lead by the outstandingly talented Graham Wall who plays our ‘Pirate King’

Monday night was our ‘Tech Run’ now usually Tech Runs can become a bit tedious, as often whilst running the show, we are asked to frequently stop to allow the crew to make some changes to the set, lights or sound. But this appeared to not be the case on Monday, everything went smoothly and from a cast member’s point this was a blessing, as this gave us almost an extra Full run of the show. But this was only due to highly professional standards of our ‘Crew, Sound and Lighting’ team. I would just like to say how grateful the entire cast are for all of your hard work guys! – Ian Smith (Stage Manager) Aaron Day (Assistant Stage manager/Stage ferret!) Adam Humphries (Stage Crew) John Castle (Lighting) Phil Stannard (Sound) Matt McManus (Set design extraordinaire)

Tuesday night was our ‘Dress Run’ the dress run is usually the last ‘full run’ of the show before the curtain opens. Last night we were also joined by our full orchestra and pit singers all being lead by the incomparable Erika Gundensen. Suffice to say, last night went without a hitch, minus the few times us cast were corpsing on stage!!

Previously I wasn’t a massive G&S fan, but seeing Warren McWilliams’ vision of this ‘old and outdated’ show being brought to life has completely changed my mind about this show! It is packed full of all kinds of hilarity, energetic dances and a somewhat charming undertone. You’d be a fool to miss it!! I think I’ve finally found my calling in life!! Yo ho ho, it’s a pirate life for me!

You can still book your tickets online at www.MillfieldTheatre.co.uk

Pirates of Penzance runs from 7th-10th June and tickets are available to buy through the Millfield box office here:

Pirates of Penzance runs from 7th-10th June and tickets are available to buy through the Millfield box office here:

Pirates of Penzance runs from 7th-10th June and tickets are available to buy through the Millfield box office here:

Ahoy there, me hearties, and welcome to this week’s piratey blog! My name’s Ellie and I play one of General Stanley’s beautiful, Presbyterian daughters named Kate the – ahem – ‘Eager’. She knows that pirates are no match for upstanding young ladies but can’t strictly be said to discourage their advances.

It’s hard to believe that next is week is actually here, the best week of the year (apart from Panto Week) – it’s Show Week! So this week has been our final week of rehearsals and it’s my honourable duty to bring you up to date with all that’s been going on!

This week we have been running our show in it’s entirety to triple check that everything is ship shape for opening night. Running the show on Monday I felt such a sense of pride – it’s on a night like that that you realise just how many talented people make up our motley crew! I know you probably think I just have to say, otherwise I’ll be forced to walk the plank, but the show really is fantastic. Forget everything you thought you knew about Gilbert & Sullivan – I too was a slave to the misguided preconception that it’s old, stuffy and dull, but our SMP version of it, dreamt up by our incredible production team, is hilarious, colourful and exciting. It was such a delight on Monday to see all of our hard work coming together and to be able to watch other parts of the show, which had me howling with laughter. There were a couple of minor mishaps: for example, our lovely choreographer Miss Fay had to delicately remind the girls to actually move during one of our numbers, aptly named the ‘Wafty Duet’, because we were all too taken by our pretty flowery hoops to remember to do anything. Our superb Musical Director Erika, aided by the very talented Alex on piano, also tweaked a few of the highly complex harmonies, although she mostly seemed relieved that we’ve finally learnt the words to the show – sorting out the ‘magnanimities’ from the ‘lace and dimities’ has been no mean feat! I missed our run through on Wednesday – a sin for which I must atone for providing our pitiless Director Warren McWilliams with meat based snacks – but I am told by my fellow thespians that it was just as excellent as Monday’s.

With that I must leave you to go and pack up all my costumes ready for our get-in to the theatre on Sunday, but before I do I have something to ask of you – please part with a little of your hard-earned treasure and book your tickets now! You really will have a fantastic evening filled with exciting music, beautiful costumes and side splitting comedy. So come along – you will not be disappointed!

Pirates of Penzance runs from 7th-10th June and tickets are available to buy through the Millfield box office here:

Ahoy mateys, Jack here to take you through this weeks on goings aboard the SMP pirate ship.

We had three rehearsals this week. Monday saw us using the intimate theatre to run through act 1 in all its glory. It allowed us the time and space necessary to really tweak and fix certain bits, both vocally and dance wise.

Wednesday we were at trusty old canon house where we ran, surprise surprise, act 2. Although the space is much smaller we were still able to get through the whole act with plenty of stoppages within. Most of the time, or should I say more time than than should have been, was spent on Erika trying to teach me a harmony, which just wasn’t happening that day for some reason.

The highlight of the week however came on Sunday…….Band Call! For those that don’t know, Band Call, is when the amazing musicians, who shall be playingfor us show week, come to a rehearsal and play through the music. I must say even though a few instruments were missing, it sounded amazing. Erika has and continues to do a fantastic job with this show, we have some seriously talented people both on stage and off stage in this production.

Not long now for you to book tickets, make sure you do as this isn’t one to be missed.

Signing off, Captain Jack

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Pirates of Penzance runs from 7th-10th June and tickets are available to buy through the Millfield box office here:

Percy the Wuss here, aka Andrew Jordan giving you the next installment of the Pirates of Penzance blog.

As the show week is fast approaching we’ve now entered our busy rehearsal schedule with Monday, Wednesday AND now Sunday rehearsals.

It’s all about the tidy up now; we have gone through everything and now it’s time to tighten up the dance routines and harmonies. Monday was a run through and Wednesday was singing.

Sunday came and it was time to put it all together with the excitement of doing a costume run. There was the also the added #piratejoy (and danger ) of weapons for the boys and the dresses for the girls.

This show has pretty much something for everyone: romance, comedy, singing, innuendos, fighting, chasing, partial nudity, mutilation the list goes on …

Our ‘Pirates of Penzance’ is only a couple of weeks away. Please head over to the Millfield website where you can book your tickets. www.millfieldtheatre.co.uk

Pirates of Penzance runs from 7th-10th June and tickets are available to buy through the Millfield box office here:

Dearest and loveliest followers of the SMP Pirates of Penzance Show blog, welcome to our humble yet impeccable account of the labour of piecing together this most wonderful of Gilbert & Sullivan Shows, our show, The Pirates of Penzance! I must say I am surprised by the choice of name for this marvellous show.

I strongly feel that this show would have been more aptly named “Frederic and Mabel, The Slave of Duty and His Fair Maiden, Confront the Most Wicked Pirates of Penzance”, but I was sadly not consulted on this matter which I feel is an oversight. But I willingly forgive this smallest of slights and focus my undivided attention on the exceedingly lovely part I am required to play.

My name is Mabel, and I play one of the fair maidens in this show. In it I find true love at the side of Frederic, a most beautiful and thoughtful young man who chooses me out of all my sisters, imagine that, as the one that he shall wed. We met on the Coast of Penzance, and it truly was love at first sight. His melodious tones could not fail to stir in me a sense of duty to marry him at once, since he was quite desperate to win me. I must say it was a small sacrifice to make, as Frederic has since revealed himself to be a most worthy suitor.

But enough about Frederic and I, though I am sure you would love nothing more than for me to go on endlessly about his many achievements and dashing good looks. To say nothing of his excellent hip swaying abilities.

This past week, in our rehearsals, we have had a highly joyous time and I was able to observe my darling sisters practice singing along with me to the wonderful tune of “Poor Wandering One” where I give a most rousing rendition of the highest of high notes as they sway beautifully in the background! Frederic truly was the most poor wandering one, but I have helped him return to the path he strayed from and offered him my heart to take for his own.

All of us ladies were incredibly delighted to receive and try on our most beautiful garments for the show this week, they are absolutely superb and will be a most wonderful surprise to everyone on opening night. I dare say we shall spend the entire show twirling in them in fits of giggles. I do believe it is the loveliest dress I have ever had the pleasure to wear. It perfectly complements my delicate complexion.

We also sang alongside our darling Papa who was quite sad and we did our best to cheer him up. Those most awful of Pirates also rehearsed this week and stomped about in their loud and boisterous manner as is their custom. It was rather upsetting but also quite rousing. It must be quite the life of adventure…or so I hear.

I wonder do Pirate ladies exist? I myself have never met one. With all our hard work, I am most satisfied to share with you that we have arrived at a moment where all of the show has been rehearsed and we will begin doing runs of the entire play! It is truly exciting, you must agree!

Please do remember to share this inspiring show with those you love so that we may have a suitably packed audience in June. Ah leave us not to pine alone…When you purchase your tickets, tell them Mabel sent you, for I have no doubt that if you do this, you will be very well taken care of. As you may imagine, I am very loved by one and all.

I hope to see you at the Millfield Theatre between June 7th and 10th! Signing off with all my love and warm wishes, Fa la la la, Fa la…Mabel Stanley. xoxo

Pirates of Penzance runs from 7th-10th June and tickets are available to buy through the Millfield box office here:

Hello, this is Rupert the partial, in the real world Carl.

Well last week’s rehearsals were full of ballet and chasing. When I heard about the ballet scene, I thought, being one of the male cast, I’d have the night off. I was wrong! This is the Pirate’s and Police ballet part of the Act II finale.

Well, the amazing Fay Kemal’s choreography is en pointe as always. She certainly kept us on our toes the whole time. We were Pirou-wet with sweat by the end of Monday’s rehearsal. With a little more practice it won’t be Tu Tu hard to master.

I’ve run out of ballet puns, so swiftly moving on to the hilarious chase scene, masterfully choreographed by our director. Not just running around, that’s not good enough for our Warren; this chase is filled with leap frogs, slapping and, naturally, sneezing.

On Wednesday, we went through the chase scene, but excitingly, we tried on our costumes. No photos but they are awesome, thanks to Fay, Ellie and Debbie. Debbie has done us proud on the Police costumes. The pirate’s costumes are an eclectic mix of scurvy buccaneers that have to be seen to be believed.

The girls also tried on their costumes but these are shrouded in mystery from the rest of the cast!

Pirates of Penzance runs from 7th-10th June and tickets are available to buy through the Millfield box office here:

Greetings, Dear Reader,

Welcome to The Pirates of Penzance! My name is Bernadett and I am delighted to be guiding you through this week’s blog.

The Pirates of Penzance – or The Slave of Duty – is a show of brilliant humour and amazing music. I first saw the show about a year ago, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is very funny and heart-warming. I especially enjoy the creative choices our director and production team make with the show. They are all extremely talented people who will bring out the best in this production.

This is my second show with SMP and my very first operetta. I’m playing Susanna, the Preened, who is one of the daughters of the Major-General. I will get to wear a beautiful dress and meet real pirates (of a good kind, mind you) which makes two of my childhood dreams come true at once. It is very exciting indeed!

The plot of the show is engaging and funny and I feel blessed to be part of such a friendly and talented group. The music is brilliant although I do find it very complex at places and the lyrics can be real tongue-twisters at times. Nonetheless, everybody in the team is working hard towards perfection with the help of the amazing MD Erika and her assistant, Alex.

On Monday, our men did some recaps of the dances learned so far and learned the choreography for ‘Cat like tread’. Even though I was not present, – as the ladies of the cast were given a well-deserved night off – I enjoyed watching the recordings of the evening’s hard work. Our male cast members are big and strong (as is to be expected from the pirates) but very funny and sentimental when needed and they sound amazing. It is going to be a real treat for all who will come to see the show.

On Wednesday, the whole cast had a vocal call and we learned the harmonies of the Act Two Finale. It sounds great when all vocal parts come together. We have not yet done the setting for this but I am very much looking forward to it!

We would be delighted to welcome you in the audience. We can promise you a show full of laughter and excitement!!!! Don’t miss it! 🙂

Pirates of Penzance runs from 7th-10th June and tickets are available to buy through the Millfield box office here: