This Is NOT Your Grandparents' "Pirates Of Penzance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                           The score and characters are the same, even if both seem to have a rockish beat.  And yet this reworked version of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Pirates Of Penzance" is more enjoyable than expected.  So sick am I of video gimmicks after "Sunset Boulevard," that it was a pleasure to see creative set design here, created by David Rockwell, who wonderfully replicates 19th century New Orleans, giving it a Mardi Gras sort of flair.  How nice to see real creativity at work, instead of some guys hauling around a camera!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             The other surprise in this 'Pirates' is that the trio of Ramin Kairmloo as the Pirate King, Jinx Monsoon as Ruth, and David Hyde Pierce as General Stanley do better than expected with their toles.  The one exception is Samantha Williams as Mabel, the most attractive of the general's daughters, who here has been tarted up like some slut; what's that all about?????????

                                                  Except for the mistake made with Williams, Scott Ellis works his usual directorial skill on the proceedings, and as soon as I saw Warren Carlyle was the choreographer, I knew the show was in good hands.  He is the best choreographer working today on Broadway, and I would love to work with him, darlings.

                                                  This show has proved popular with audiences, to my surprise.  It has been through several extensions of its run, with a definite closing date on July 27.  So, hurry and run to see real color and creativity on Broadway--for a change!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                     See creativity while it lasts, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!