1935 - 1936
H.M.S. Pinafore
The play takes place in Portsmouth aboard Her Majesty’s Ship the H.M.S. Pinafore. Josephine, the daughter of Captain Corcoran, has fallen in love with a lower-class sailor, Ralph Rackstraw, but her father intends for her to marry Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of Admiralty. Little Buttercup, a dockside vendor, comes aboard and has knowledge of dark secrets. When Ralph hears Sir Joseph’s thoughts about equality he hopes to elope with Josephine but she feels that she must honour the arrangement with Sir Joseph. Before Ralph can commit suicide Josephine declares her love for him and they plan to elope that night. Dick Deadeye, one of Ralph’s shipmates, disapproves of their plan but the rest of the sailors are joyous.
Captain Corcoran confides to Little Buttercup that his world is falling apart and that he has affection for her, but cannot proceed because of their different social classes. Sir Joseph, promoting his upcoming nuptials, tells Josephine that love is the great equalizer. She interprets this to mean that she can continue to love Ralph. Dick Deadeye reveals the couple’s plan to elope. When Sir Joseph hears the Captain swear as the young couple try to leave the ship he confines him to his cabin. Ralph reveals his love for Josephine but Sir Joseph orders him to be taken to the brig in chains. Now Buttercup reveals her long-held secret: long ago she had mixed up two babies, one high-born and the other low. The high-born one was Ralph and the Captain was the low-born one. This means that Ralph should be Captain of the ship and the Captain should have Ralph’s position. They are each given a switch of uniform. Ralph becomes Captain, entitling him to marry Josephine now that he is of the same social class. Corcoran can marry Little Buttercup, as they are also now the same class. So much for equality! Sir Joseph decides to marry his cousin Hebe and all sing joyfully in celebration of the weddings to come.
Musical Director: Bramwell Bailey
Producer (Director): Leslie Chance
Dance Arranger : Gwendolyn Osborne
Cast
Christine McCulloch Allan
Little Buttercup
D. Roy Kennedy
Sir Joseph Porter
Don Cottrell
Bob Becket
Gordon Askwith
Tom Tucker
Horace M. Butler
Bill Bobstay
James P. kenney
Captain Corcoran
James Scott
Dick Deadeye
Kathleen Burden
Josephine
Kaye Carleton
Hebe
Richard Pentland
Ralph Rackstraw
Aribert Helmer
Soprano
Audrey L. Scott
Soprano
Barbara Haydon
Soprano
Doreen McGregor Smith
Soprano
Edith E. Burn
Soprano
Elaine Stewart
Soprano
Florence Ellis
Soprano
Florence G. Seddon
Soprano
Lois Bothwell
Soprano
Lona M. Willis
Soprano
Margaret Harrisn
Soprano
Margaret Sage
Soprano
Mary Scott
Soprano
Mona Harrison
Soprano