Every single boy wants to be a pirate when he grows up, and most of the girls too. The reasons are compelling: Peter Pan, Treasure Island , Pirates of the Caribbean these days. And of course the immortal Pirates of Penzance, which is currently playing on OSF’s Elizabethan stage come fair weather or foul.
I got to see Pirates on a rainy night in July (it’s a really weird year, even for Oregon ), and not only was it a success, but I want to be a pirate even more than I did before the show. Director Bill Rauch embraced Gilbert and Sullivan’s use of pop-culture reference and unrestrained silliness by infusing their hundred-year-old operetta with some of the popular music styles that have come since then: gospel, British-invasion rock ‘n’ roll, and rap (the police officers do a little rap). Early in the show, Eddie Lopez (who plays Frederick ) was standing alone on stage when the rain really started to dump. He tossed his head back and looked straight into the sky. I knew somebody at some point during the show they would have to acknowledge the rain, since it was on everybody’s mind. I don’t know if I was reading Eddie’s mind, or if he was reading mine, but he burst out into an impromptu “Singing in the Rain,” while shooting a guilty “is this okay?” look at the conductor. It was. It brought the house down.
Bill Rauch’s attraction to fun is a real jolt of positive energy for OSF, and they need it this year with the Bowmer almost falling down. His sense of play is a perfect match for this old musical and brings out the best in it and in the splendid cast he’s got performing it. It deserves a rain-drenched standing ovation, and a hearty “Yo ho ho!”
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