Wednesday, February 29, 2012

A Most Ingenious Paradox!



Oh the Summer of 2010, what a wonderful summer in my life! In honor of this leap year I declare "Pirates of Penzance" day to be Febuary 29!  I was in the lead role of "The Major General" spent the entire summer (as most of you witnessed) sporting Mutton Chops and a kilt for this show!




For those of you who are nto familiar with the show (im sure you know the melody to at least a few of the songs) The story pivots around young Frederick a pirates apprentice who is out on his apprentiship on this his 21st Birthday.  Frederick tells of his love to his "pirate family" and now that he is a free upstanding citizen he is duty bound to destroy them for their craft. The pirates in fear wave him of to a beach where Frederick discovers a "bevy of beautiful madiens" and falls in love with Mable "the plainest and rarest of them all". Not long after the girls father The Major General comes into play, when the pirates swoop down on the picnicing party and treat to steal them away.  The Major genral lies saying "I am an Orphan Boy" (as the Pirates let all who are orphans go, as they are orphans themselves.) Frederick is betrothed to Mable and all is going swimmingly until the Pirate King returns with a "paradox". Frederick was born in leap year, he has been alive 21 year, however technically since he WAS born in leap year he is "a little boy of 5" (game changer, I know!) So now the tables are turned and Fred must rejoin the pirates as he is bound by his 21 Birthday.  It is then that Fred tells the Pirate king about the Major Generals lie, and all theatrical HELL breaks loose! The blood thirsty Pirates return to the Major Generals Castle where they plan to seek reenge for the deed.  Meanwhile Frederick has warned Mable of the coming danger and she tells her father and a band of Police men are hidden in the shaddows to capture the Pirates. The Pirates move with "Cat Like Tread" (while making as MUCH noise as humanly possible.) A great battle breaks out and just when all is lost a vital secret is revealed, all of the Pirates are former nobilty gone astray. If they promsie to spot being pirates and pick up being noble men again they can marry the Generals daughters (all 10 of them) So in two lines everything is fixed and a happy ending is had by all!


Oh Gilbert & Sullivan - It's terribly British!
Happy 29th Everyone!
 
-Mick-

2 comments:

jamie@midcenturymania said...

Happy P.O.P. Day! Why have I never seen this play/movie?? I'll have to check Netflix. What's next Mick?

Amber Von Felts said...

You guys always have so much fun! I have never seen this play/movie myself. Your pics remind me of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland though!