A band of Jolly Roger-waving scallywags celebrate the 21st birthday of their youngest member, Frederic, as he declares he’s giving up his life of piracy to become a proper gentleman.
The musical opens as an immersive experience for the poor souls marooned in the on-stage seating, as partygoers celebrate Frederic’s 21st birthday – the year he’ll finally leave his apprenticeship behind and become a fully-fledged pirate. But instead of fulfilling his duty, Frederic has had a change of heart due to his extracurricular reading of a guide on how to become a proper gentleman in polite society.
The pantomime-esque energy of the first act was going to be hard to sustain throughout the entire show, and Act Two loses steam quickly as they try to create earnest moments that the first act didn’t earn, making them feel forced and out of place.
The band of five is led by the Pirate King. Jay Laga’aia plays a tender King, upholding the ways of old by not really committing acts of piracy against anyone, especially orphans. Maxwell Simon’s Frederic portrays the naivety of the young pirate in reform well, especially in his search for a wife. The Major General, played by Trevor Jones, carries a huge amount of weight in the show, donning the many hats of multiple characters (as do all the cast members) and also serving as the onstage musical accompaniment throughout most of the show.
Billie Palin displays fantastic physical comedic timing in the many characters she plays, mostly because I can’t recall her saying many lines in the show.
Brittanie Shipway absolutely shines with powerhouse vocals in her Cockney pirate accent as Ruth, and also in her more refined operatic style as the prim and proper Mabel, effortlessly oscillating between opera and pop vocals. The cast has an absolute ball on stage, and it's very fun to watch. They give it their all, full of energy.
The final battle of the show is a fun spectacle to witness, with impressive visuals, including lighting, and the way the cast perform onstage costume changes to fight themselves and the police army, who just happen to be represented by hats on mic stands.
While the performers do an admirable job with the material they're given, it’s hard to explain how 'Pirates' made its way into the Hayes Theatre’s 2025 season. Even with the modern adaptation, where the Major General is holding space for 'Defying Gravity' and is obviously a huge fan of Sabrina Carpenter, it can’t compete with the fact that maybe this comedy musical needs to be put to bed. Having first premiered in 1879 in New York, perhaps the modern audience should stage a mutiny and have the show walk the plank for the final time?
Words: Casey Elder
