23 September 2010

Pirates of Penzance in 24 hours

Students at the University of Dundee are set to stage a swashbuckling dash through the 'Pirates of Penzance' next week - from initial rehearsals to final performance in the space of just 24 hours.

Dundee staff and students, together with Apex Acoustics, set a Guinness World Record in 2003 when they put together an entire performance of 'Seven Brides For Seven Brothers' in the space of just 23 hours 30 minutes.

Now that generation’s successors are taking on the 24-hour challenge.

'We aren’t going for a record this time, just doing it for fun, although some may question the idea of how fun it might be!, said Graeme Stevenson, music co-ordinator at the University.

'We will have a cast of over 40 people plus a band and crew, and all have to learn their parts and pull the performance together in the space of 24 hours. There is a lot of singing in this show and a lot to learn so we will probably not manage to have much in the way of breaks - it’s going to be a proper through-the-night affair for most of us.'

Graeme explained the motivation for the speedy attempt at staging the show.

'A lot of the people involved were keen to put on a show but without it becoming a huge, time-consuming thing, so we’ve gone to the other end of the spectrum and tried to do it in as short a time as possible,' he said.

As well as the 2003 record run through 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers', Graeme has previously helped co-ordinate a 24-hour 'Mikado'.

The version of the 'Pirates of Penzance' the group will perform is Simon Gallagher’s update of Gilbert & Sullivan's best loved, most tuneful and funniest show.

Rehearsals for the chorus and band will start on Friday 1st October at 7.30pm and the curtain will go up in the Whitehall Theatre at 7.30pm on Saturday 2nd October. The show is being directed by Danny Adams with Graeme acting as musical director.

Anyone who wants to buy tickets for the show at the Whitehall can get them at the door or through the Whitehall Theatre’s website - www.whitehalldundee.co.uk.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07800 581902