HMS Pinafore review at the Tabard Theatre.

I think there’s a reason The Tabard won London Pub Theatre of the Year last year. Since the Reilly’s took over the management in 2022 there is a quality to everything this theatre does that defies their studio space and budgets. And this production is no exception.

Gilbert and Sullivan belongs to an era of huge casts, huge stages and full orchestras, yet I defy anyone not to soon forget the small cast and well… two person orchestra!… and lose themselves in the drama, intrigue… and completely brilliant performances. 

The genius is that this rapidly feels like a West End production. 

It’s a production that doesn’t take itself too seriously and is all the better for that. It’s one of G and S’s earlier productions and the storyline reflects that. There isn’t much of one!

The plot is based on a love triangle: Josephine (the Captain’s daughter) loves Ralph a very humble sailor. However, she is ‘the apple of the eye’ of the First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir Joseph Porter. He’s an over promoted, elderly idiot, whereas, the Hero, Ralph, is a young man with tons of integrity. Ralph is unacceptable to Josephine’s father, the formidable Captain Corcoran of H.M.S Pinafore. Can the triangle be straightened? Well, stick around sailors; there’s a bend in the river!

It’s actually a bit more static than their last production of ‘The Mikado’, but on the day of the local elections in the UK, there was ‘Last night of the Proms’ flag waving and the audience singing along too! 

Director Keith Strachan directs and gets all the beats right. And there is a stellar cast without a weak link. Their voices are universally gorgeous. Stevie Jennings-Adams plays a delightful and beautiful Josephine who can be vampish and sweetly innocent in equal measure. Many of her solo songs drew roars from the audience. Finan McKinney as Ralph nails naive sailor in love with someone beyond his reach.  John Griffiths is completely brilliant as the very posh and controlling Sir Joseph Porter. Kieran Wynne is a brilliant Bosun, Leopold Benedict plays a enamoured bespectacled Captain. Marissa Landy is a complete ‘triple threat’! She sings, acts, plays the flute beautifully and even tap dances! Ryan Eeiskson Downey as Dick Deadeye is one of the best ‘baddies’ I’ve ever seen. His evil smile is completely engaging. And wow… how sweet is “little Buttercup” She is hugely sweet but also hugely sassy! 

Annemarie Lewis Thomas is a triumph as Musical Director. And yet again Sandra Szaron creates magic with the lighting. 

It’s a quality offering worthy of the West End. At a fraction of the cost. And there’s a pub downstairs! You know it HMS makes sense!

🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 – 5 out of 5 glasses of Grog!

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Pictures: Matt Hunter.