Frederic (Hernandez, left) has to reject the advances of his scheming nurse, Ruth (music education voice major Katelyn Saxton). (Ashley Long / Staff Photographer)
Insert necessary pirate pun here: Avast me hearties, yo ho ho, etc., etc.
While they might be a little bit behind on the pirates craze, TCNJ Lyric Theatre’s production of “The Pirates of Penzance” was a delight for seasoned rum-slingers and landlubbers alike. The show ran from Thursday, Nov. 10 until Sunday, Nov. 13 on the Kendall Hall main stage. Audiences were assured from the beginning that it was going to be a high-sailing good time; even the orchestra had donned pirate hats for the occasion.
The show tells the story of Frederic (junior vocal performance major Sergio Hernandez), a young man about to leave his apprenticeship with the Pirate King (2011 alumnus Raymond McCue) and his merry band of scoundrels. Frederic finds the girl of his dreams in Mabel (played by sophomore Samantha Swartz on the night of this review, Nov. 10), but a technicality over his service obligations to the pirate crew threatens to tear the young lovers apart. Music, hilarity and swashbuckling ensue.
As Frederic, Hernandez lacked the charm so crucial for a male lead. This isn’t to say that he isn’t talented; he, along with the rest of the cast, showed off voices that have obviously been highly trained. Still, there was a spark missing somewhere, and it was hard to relate to Mabel as she swooned over her somewhat bland love.
This may not be entirely Hernandez’s fault: He could have had the voice of Jesus and the sex appeal of George Clooney and still gotten lost amidst the antics of an absolutely superb supporting cast.
McCue was a scream as the swaggering Pirate King, channeling just enough Johnny Depp to give himself a saunter without coming across as a carbon copy. Whether he was plotting against Frederic or dueling with the conductor, he drew laughs from the crowd at every turn. Senior music performance major Ian Highcock, sporting convincing muttonchops, was no less hilarious as the fast-talking Major General.
The Pirate King (McCue, right) threatens Major General (Highcock, left) at swordpoint. (Ashley Long / Staff Photographer)
The real comedic tour-de-force, however, came from senior physics major Nick Vitovitch in his small but impossible-to-upstage role as the Sergeant of Police. Bringing to mind the French guards of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” Vitovitch hammed his way through the show, combining physical slapstick humor with exaggerated facial expressions so that he became almost a living, breathing cartoon character.
Of course, it’s to be expected (or at least one would hope) that the larger roles would be able to hold their own in the spotlight.
What was perhaps most impressive about “Pirates,” however, was the strength of its ensemble. The pirates, policemen and daughters, whether or not they had a named role, threw themselves into the production with so much energy and enthusiasm that they deserved just as much credit for the show as the leads did. It’s rare to see that sort of across-the-board (or across-the-plank) talent in a student production, and, more than anything, “Pirates” deserved a standing ovation for that reason.
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Shaun,
I find your comments about the male lead offensive. It seems like you are insinuating that Hernandez doesn’t fit your preconceived notions of what a male lead should look like. Hernandez perfectly captured the sweet and naive character of Frederick. This particular part doesn’t have as many comedic opportunities as many of the supporting roles. The joke is usually on him rather than delivered by him. So what exactly did you mean by “bland love?” Were you disappointed with the playwright’s rendering of the character? Rather it seems like you were picking on Hernandez due to your sterotypical view of what’s beautiful and what’s not, an opinion that has nothing to do with talent. Hernandez played his role perfectly, sang with phenomenal skill, and stole the hearts of many audience members, despite what this editorial may imply.
Mr. Hernandez has a wonderful tenor voice, number one. And of course, you recognize this. Number two: his role is about a naive and innocent young man dealing with the absurdity of a technicality. Bland he is not. I think that the production was perfect: from the music, the acting, and the voices. Any comment on the Major General or Ruth?
I was there the exact same night you were there. The comment “Audience Member” left basically said everything I was going to. I don’t see how you don’t see how great Sergio’s performance is. Yes, I agree the ensemble was great too. Yes, Ray and Ian we’re great, and so was Nick. But you need to give credit where credit is due. The entire cast, ensemble and main characters included, did a phenomenal job that night and probably the rest of their performances from what I’ve heard from people who went to see the other shows. If you liked the ensemble so much, why didn’t you just dedicate the entire article to them? Just because Hernandez doesn’t live up to your expectations doesn’t mean his performance wasn’t amazing. A romantic, lead male role doesn’t have to be a Jesus/George Clooney hybrid in order to have that “spark” you claim was missing.
With all due respect, I really wish that The Signal would get writers who happen to know what they’re talking about to review their musical and theatrical productions. This is not only a problem with Fitzpatrick but with just about every other writer of reviews I’ve read out of this publication. As a writer, Fitzgerald lacks the knowledge so crucial for a reviewer of musical theater. This isn’t to say that he isn’t talented; he, along with the most of the other writers for The Signal, showed off their ability to write in a manner that is standard in the world of journalism. Still, there was a spark missing somewhere, and it is impossible to relate to Fitzpatrick as he reported inaccurately that Hernandez was a weak male lead… This may not be entirely Fitzgerald’s fault: He could have the journalism skills of Jesus and the sex appeal of Katie Couric and still be lost due to his lack of understand of Gilbert and Sullivan’s work.
Personally, I do not see why this is listed as a review of “The Pirates of Penzance.” This article is simply overt and passive ways of insulting the Male Lead. I am grateful I am in groups that regularly rehearse and perform with Mr. Hernandez who, as you recognize, is talented, but also courteous, helpful, supportive, and most importantly humble. While the strong ensemble deserves it’s due, the parenthetical insult about how a lead should stand out in the forefront “(or at least one should hope).” One would hope reviewers payed attention during the show, as one of Frederick’s premier songs tries to woo the daughters of the major general by saying they have plain faces and bad complexion, and that before commenting on how “bland” a performer is they should think of the character being portrayed instead of focusing on the over-the-top hilarity and make sure they understand the subtler plot points.
I wish there was a “like” button in this so that I could like everything that has just been said. I think that even for a critical review, Fitzpatrick’s description of Sergio’s performance was inaccurate and harsh. In fact, I too am offended by his commentary. I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one who is confused by the notion that Sergio’s performance was “bland.” He threw himself into that role heart and soul. His body language was spot-on when he sang and recited his lines; there was no questioning his emotions. His singing was very emotive and dynamic, and he used his voice well to communicate with the audience. He was a lovable Frederic, and I thought he did a phenomenal job. Also, as for Fitzpatrick not knowing what the hell he’s talking about when it comes to a theater review, I agree. However as a writer/journalist, he needs to get his facts straight too because Nick Vitovitch is not a “senior physics major,” He is a JUNIOR, Computer Science and Mathematics double major.
Silly theater people… always unable to accept any sort of criticism! It’s a REVIEW people, and not all reviews are positive. Besides Mr. Fitzpatrick did say that the lead had a talented voice, and that the rest of the ensemble was good (failed to see that, didn’t ya?) That being said, I haven’t seen the show :)
Sorry Kev, but Shaun’s article was disrespectful, regardless of any positive critiques it may have had. Everyone else has already put it into words: Sergio’s role was not “bland”. Lacking content knowledge, Shaun missed the point entirely.
Some advice for future reviews: Do some research about Gilbert and Sullivan before you write an article critiquing someone’s performance like that. I’m not asking you to be an expert on the subject but at least familiarize yourself with the subject. It wouldn’t take more than an hour or two more of your time to get your facts straight. Talk to a member of the cast even! Whoa there yah go!
And I’m not being ignorant towards journalism. I’m not going to write an article myself, because let’s face it, I’m not a journalist. But for future articles if the writer is writing outside their comfort zone and doesn’t want to commit, then DONT DO IT. Easiest way to avoid this debacle .
And guys for your information, Shaun is female.
Criticism is not the same as insult. An insult is something degrading, something meant to hurt or belittle. Shaun did a critical analysis of what she saw on stage. What she put in the review were negative comments about a performance. They had nothing to do with Sergio’s character as a human being (he is, by the way, a lovely person).
Moreover, as Kev says, it’s a review. It’s public, sure, but it’s also one person’s opinion. As an actor who’s had several bad reviews, I’ve learned it’s best to look at the situation as a learning process. Bad reviews are a part of performing on stage, and if a few words are tough to handle, then it might be best to step out of the spotlight. Let’s just be thankful that this was actually a review and not the typical, tired old plot summary. Theatre groups on this campus complain all the time that we don’t really get reviewed, and now when our work is finally seen in a critical eye, we can’t handle it. Let’s please stop licking our wounds and move on, mk?
I feel that this production of “Pirates of the Caribbean” did not follow the story line at all! At times, I wondered if this was even the same show!