When is an adaptation no longer an adaptation but a whole new work? This question came to me as I was experiencing the Hypocrites’ latest production, described in the program as an adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan’s 1878 classic H.M.S. Pinafore and presented in repertory with remounts of The Mikado and The Pirates of Penzance. Usually when directors adapt an old chestnut they monkey with the setting, putting Hamlet in 21st-century Japan, say. This can create the illusion that we’re watching something new without making us think or feel anything new about the work.
The result is a production that Gilbert and Sullivan purists might not even recognize. To my mind that’s a good thing. Traditional Gilbert and Sullivan productions are too often staid and stuffy, with lots of bad British accents and late-Victorian affectations. Here the performers are relaxed; they let the comedy flow out of their characters. And Graney has packed his cast with singer/actors who know how to have a good time onstage.
Through 2/7: times vary, see website Den Theatre 1329-1333 N. Milwaukee 773-609-2336 the-hypocrites.com $36-$50
