minimaster
Minimasters get their opera fix at The Pirates of Penzance
Say hello to our newest Minimaster recruit, Sophia, 8. Find out what she and her family made of The Pirates of Penzence at the London Coliseum.
I went the show with my mummy, nanny and my friend Rebecca, who is 12. I have never been to an opera before so I felt pretty excited but also scared and intrigued. Intrigued because I wanted to know more about the show, but scared because I don’t like pirates! All of us were excited and mummy was also a bit nervous, wondering if it would all be ‘LAAAAAAAAAAAAA!’
The show is all about Frederic, a 21-year-old man whose birthday is on 29 February and so is technically a boy of 5-years-old! Ruth is a 47-year-old woman who used to be Frederic’s nursemaid and because she knows that he has not seen any other women in his life, she says to him that she is the most beautiful woman he will ever come across.
Frederic meets Mabel, one of Major-General Stanley’s fair-maiden daughters and they fall in love, but the pirates and Ruth make him go back and work for them again until his ACTUAL 21st birthday. There is always a lot going on, with telling lots of funny fibs until in the end… but I can’t tell you them, can I?!
My favourite characters were the policemen because they were very, very silly. A bit like clowns. If I was going to play any part then I would like to play the police sergeant.
My favourite bit was when the policemen put their heads around the circle and stuck them out when they thought the pirates weren’t looking. It made me roar with laughter! I think the audience found this the funniest part too as they were laughing very loudly.
The show is all singing, which can be difficult to follow in places but the words are shown above the stage as they’re sung. My friend, Rebecca, enjoyed it but we agreed that next time we go to a musical or the opera, we will read up on the story and listen to some of the songs first. The Major General’s song is so catchy, I am going to learn it!
I would recommend opera to children over 10, and anyone who knows the story and songs. My nan really enjoyed the show and she has seen it before. My mum also enjoyed it.
We had AMAZING seats and the London Coliseum is a very beautiful building. I felt very honoured to be at the home of the English National Opera. The show was not completely as I had expected, and I’m glad I tried something new. I can now say I have seen an opera!
The Pirates of Penzance is currently booking until 4 July at the London Coliseum, head to Ticketmaster.co.uk.
