Pirates of Penzance, local production- cultural intro for DSs, 6 and 8 or boring?

[miljee]

Personally I think it would be a laugh! Our local town operatic society are considered to be quite good but I was wondering whether I should consider taking my DSs who will just be 6 and 8. They're quite well behaved but not with vast attention spans, esp DS1. Do you think it would be a good idea?

I can remember going to that when I was little but prob older than your 2.I take my kids to theatrey things a lot though and as long as it is entertaining they are fine.

Check how long it is in advance. Should be ok otherwise.

sorry
i think deathly dull to child of this age... infact i had to suffer too many productions of this particular 'favourite' in hot sticky auditorium EVERY hot july...it was just hell...

not that i think kids wont enjoy concerts or the like ..open air orchestra with picnic..open air theatre something dramatic...or whatever...

Do they know the story, or have they seen any G&S before? I would definitely do it, but not without a bit of sly preparation - overture on tape in the car, singing of funny bits now and again, giving them the gist of the story, and so on. I'd want a month or two to let the tasters get familiar before we went to the show ... how long have you got?

It could go either way depending on how energetic and slick the production is...I was brought up on G&S and love it, but it very much depends on the production. If you do go I'd say try to get seats near the front so they can see properly and feel more involved.

DS is pirate obsessed and is begging to see PoP on stage - he loves the Dvd and knows most of the words. Can you take him with you??[joke]
Seriously, its a long production, so I would go, but expect to leave if your ds get bored, especially if they are not into pirates. The songs are quite jolly so they should last a while

my children (ages 8 &10) did a concert of the POP songs recently and I took ds 6years and they all loved it.

Took dd to a concert version of Pirates when she was 7 and she loved it. Played her the video first so she knew the story and some of the songs. Also took her to a full costume version of Iolanthe and she loved that too, even though I couldn't play any of the music to her beforehand and didn't know the plot myself.

I've got many happy memories of seeing a good local company with pared-down orchestra do most of the G & S majors, at their age miljee.
I agree with bink that almost any live performance for the under 10s needs stealth preparation, so you might want to go over the "plot" with them and play the highlights.
Pirates is a corker, go for it. I think the deathly D'Oyly Carte productions have turned a whole generation against two of our cleverest composers/librettists, personally. We all drool over Offenbach and look down our noses at G & S

eemie, did you play her that preposterously OTT Joseph Papp film with Linda Ronstadt and Kevin Kline, or were you more restrained? I love that film, it is one of my many guilty secrets...

A bit dull, TBH. And I speak as someone who took part in every G&S operetta at school from aged 13 - 18

Embrace your heritage Fio. G & S were in their time what Jerry Springer the Opera is today

Then that is the fault of your productions oxocube
Although I personally can't abide Princess Ida

I am an Events Manager and we have a very good production of "Ruddigore" at our theatre this week. Expecting audience to start coming in around 6.45 hence hovering on MN! I wouldn't bring young children to this one. The audience all seem over 70!!! The bar is not doing very well as they are all having "nice cups of tea" rather than alcohol {smile]. Personally I love G and S and have been in a few in my time. I think the first thing I took my two boys (now 16 and 14) to was Joseph or it might have been Peter Pan. Remember taking them to Jesus Christ Superstar and DS1 was sobbing so much he could barely get up and walk out! DS2 (not a sensitive type) was looking askance and saying "what's the matter with you". Same in Blood Brothers and Billy Elliot. DS1 and I in floods. DH and DS2 not!!