The Pirate’s ship roams in a galaxy far, far away. Metal-pipe rooms inside with bottom-level aisles, flanked by musicians in their own spaces, come to jut out front in a space for confrontations and conversations. Side stairways climb up to adjoining runways, where windows show skies and planets outside, as well as entrances to interior controls. Here’s where Frederic (exuberant Nick Lerew) is celebrating his 21st birthday before leaving the Pirate King (dynamic Hayden Milanes) and his orphan band. As an ordained “Slave to Duty,” Fredric’s bound to oppose them. Will The Force go with one or all? The farce is what certainly (and very funnily) takes over in this Pirates of Penzance. Pushy, hefty, bizarrely made-up older Ruth (creditable Sara DelBeato), the only woman Frederic’s ever seen, follows and tries desperately to snag him. “Oh, False One, You Have Deceived Me” he admonishes Ruth, once he’s seen attractive young sisters Edith and Kate, and especially Mabel (strong, sexy Kayline Seckel). Happily for “Poor Wandering One” Frederic, Mabel and the girls welcome him. Still, they’re not free to fly as partners. For one thing, the Pirates are catching up with them, including the girls’ dad. Glen Glover epitomizes authority as he comes to claim, “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General.” Though with his verbal dexterity he brings down the theater’s house, he’s about to be himself downed by the Pirates. hen he claims he’s an orphan. The Pirates never include orphans in “Men of Dark and Dismal Fate” at their hands. It takes an entire second act to undo Major General’s falsehoods, relieve Frederic’s obligations to Ruth and to fight against the Pirates, and spur all to bravery. Though an android Sergeant of Police (suitably scary Robert Teasdale) and his R2D2-like robot assistant adroitly played by Will Garrabrant threaten just about everybody with arrest, the “Rollicking Band of Pirates” and all others head toward a happy finale, “With Cat-Like Tread.” Also leaps and bounds. Due to a verbal quirk, Frederic doesn’t even need to leave his Pirate King until many more birthday celebrations to come. Queen Victoria leaves her musical band to appear with solutions to the criminal charges against the Pirates. Major General is forgiven his lie. No more star wars will engage cast and the production’s super technical crew. Space at freeFall is a great place for all concerned about everyone from Penzance and all points in the universe. Eric Davis deserves a medal for revitalizing an old Gilbert and Sullivan standby by having his actors “Climbing Up from Under Hatches” to reach new star stations. May this farce be with you!
