'Pirates of Penzance' bright, uplifting

Saturday night's performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance" used vocal artistry, colorful costumes and creative choreography to produce a show sparkling with wit. The full crowd at the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave., laughed as they observed the melodramatic tale of true love, unfailing honor and a band of unlikely pirates. Though a few production flaws were evident, the musical was beautiful and enjoyable.\nAmong a talented and enthusiastic cast, graduate student Douglas Barley, who portrayed the infallible Frederic, shone with a strong voice and humorous facial expressions. At the beginning of the musical, Frederic has just completed his apprenticeship with the Pirates of Penzance, a bumbling band led by the Pirate King, portrayed by graduate student Robert Taylor. Frederic pledged to remain in their service until his 21st birthday. Though he renounces the profession and is anxious to leave the pirates, he is loyal to his friends and fulfills the tenure. Barley commanded the audience's attention whenever he stepped onstage and made an often implausible plot meaningful by winning the audience's sympathy.\nSoon after leaving the pirates to seek his fortune as an honorable man, Frederic encounters the 12 beautiful daughters of Major-General Stanley, who are celebrating being alone on the island for the first time. Frederic is fascinated by the women; they are the first he has seen besides his matronly friend Ruth, comically and powerfully portrayed by senior Claire Wilcher, in 21 years. He immediately falls in love with Mabel, played by Sarah Dionne, when she enchantingly sings "Poor Wandering One!" Though Dionne had an impressive range and was delightful to watch, it was nearly impossible to understand what she was saying. This problem of clarity was present during the entire show, and would have been aided by a hidden microphone.\nUpon seeing the beautiful maidens, the pirate band captures and wants to marry them against their wills. The women are helped by Frederic and their father, Major General Stanley, perfectly portrayed by Charles Macklin. Macklin stole the show with the popular "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General." The song is fast-paced, but his articulation and gestures made the song one of the few understandable pieces in the show.\nThe second act found Frederic in agony, torn between his newfound love and honor and the pirate band, who have just informed him of terrible news: He was born in a leap year. Although he completed 21 years of service to the pirates as promised, he has not stayed until his 21st birthday, which was the exact wording of the contract. Bound by his honor, Frederic re-joins the pirate band, leaving Mabel behind. The pirates then seek to capture the sisters again, this time with Frederic's help. But the pirates are pitted against a bumbling police force, led by the Sergeant of Police, the hilarious Jean-Paul Etienne. Etienne, a senior, won the crowd with the aid of humorous choreography and strong vocals. \nEventually, the maidens agree to marry the pirate band, who turned out to be noblemen who had "done wrong." Major General Stanley gives his blessing to the unions, and all ends happily with a rousing finale. \nThe production, like the plot, had a few twists and turns with clarity problems, but was overall an entertaining and uplifting experience.