I am The Monarch of The Sea & When I was a Lad

[@oneanimatortorulethemall4714]

It's really cool how each performance for this character is completely different.

[@bryandewitt2894]

I’ve got to admit, this is one of my favorites. The way he enters, and the hat handoff are hilarious!

[@robbiehagberg3515]

Robbie Hagberg I know you are very much for a long time and place for me to get together for you how much for it 😜 you know it lol 😆 😂😆

[@Frptlinyy]

But they all seem to “steel” something from the original blocking from Gilbert. Gilbert was better.

[@mightisright]

Ha ha. Sure.

[@RenaissanceEarCandy]

​@@robbiehagberg3515 ?

[@joeyfitz9]

The beautiful thing about this performance is he plays Sir Joseph as a buffoon yet he still somehow manages to give him a sense of gravitas and power. Perfect.

[@philismenko]

It's like the right amount of self awareness that sells that he doesn't know his actual mees ups, but makes some intentional ones to throw people off

[@nichj487]

I performed a season of an operetta with this wonderful man - 45 performances in total. Literally every evening he would go on stage an hour before the performance and sing through a Verdi aria, just to get a feel for the house. He was performing a patter role that barely required singing, but he still took the part intensely seriously. I think that gravitas definitely comes from his sincere commitment to even the silliest of roles.

[@misterchubbikins]

The look of terror on the captains face when he said "the partnership is the only ship i ever had seen" was so unneccessary but so perfect.

[@richardaillas162]

I have watched four or five of these. This is simply the best rendition, each word crystal clear, gravitas - superb.

[@johne6081]

W S Gilbert knew what was wrong with politics ... and still is today, worse than ever: "I always voted at my party's call, And I never thought of thinking for myself at all. I thought so little, they rewarded me, By making me the ruler of the Queen's Navy."

[@jdkloosterman9379]

As I recall, this was a deliberate stab at the Lord of Admiralty of the time.

[@jamesbrice3267]

@@jdkloosterman9379 An Admiral W H Smith whose legacy lives on above many of our stationary stores.

[@veivoli]

@@jamesbrice3267 Yes. The stores, being made of bricks and mortar, tend to not move very far... 🙂English is a funny language!

[@SSArcher11]

Regarding his entry on the huge hook -- there's a tradition in the Navy of having sideboys assigned when an officer comes aboard. The higher the rank, the more sideboys who attend to getting him aboard. The higher number was owed in part to the weight gained by senior officers as they advanced in rank.

[@joeyfitz9]

I love the little touch where he adds an extra 's' to 'desks'.

[@bandicootcollector]

In regards to "clean collars" and a "brand new suit". To modern people a "clean collar" may sound odd. Of course he was referring to starched collars, which could be removed and laundered separately from the shirt. Wearing and laundering such collars would require staff at his home, or sending it off to a launderette, both of which were quite expensive. The winged type he wears here could be worn for weeks, as it could also be flipped outside in to present a clean surface, so wearing clean collars was quite the statement back then. And it goes without saying that a brand new suit would have been very expensive. Many poorer and middle class men got their suits handed down or second hand, and often wore the same suit for decades!

[@FJMLAM]

Gorgeous Diction. Just fabulous!

[@craigblum5385]

Best performance of this song, I've seen so far. He has both great singing and great comedy.

[@cindersofcreation]

Better than Essgee's version?

[@lukaslykus9599]

@@cindersofcreation I just watched essgees version of hms pinafore and have to say their version is 100x’s better. First time I’ve watched the show and it seems to lend to a farcical show which is very difficult to pull off. The actor is either too reserved (like in this version) or over the top that it all falls apart. I have done farcical shows and Drew Forsythe in essgees version nails it. Going up to that line but not crossing it and having it fall flat.

[@bandicootcollector]

Who is this chap? He's incredible

[@AsianOrange321]

@@bandicootcollector It looks like he's John Bolton-Wood from the Melbourne 2005 production

[@davidthomas9276]

Agreed. This is a delight! Such a valuable lesson of how polishing handles and never going to sea can lead to the highest position in Her Majesty's Navy.

[@philippaine]

Nice, crisp and clear lyrics......well sung Sir.

[@MLaak86]

Fantastic version of this classic!

[@vova47]

My favourite version here on YT. Just perfect.

[@cindersofcreation]

Even better than Essgee's version?

[@ludwigvan8266]

I concur, even better than Essgee's version.

[@vova47]

@@cindersofcreation No comparison whatsoever!

[@dustinprewitt]

I wish i could have heard Sideshow Bob sing this.

[@august2241]

definitely the best performance of this song and role!

[@cindersofcreation]

Essgee's version isn't better? really? I felt that anything LESS than Essgee had too little movement, & too little...insult? to the character they were playing, which is what was intended by all the written jabs by G & S

[@august2241]

@@cindersofcreation it’s my opinion, suck it up

[@CaptAmerica12]

Little has changed in the last 150 years in the Navy

[@lightdenied]

the whole idea of a female chorus on a 19th c British navy ship is just inherently funny

[@EresirThe1st]

It is satirising a real lord of the admiralty who brought a group of women with him for a ship inspection

[@Degjoy]

Excellent rendition!

[@steerpike66]

The performance is fine but I feel that the role really needs full, ludicrous uniform with a LOT of gold braid; a small man in a BIG hat.

[@birchwood5889]

m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4uQmJmXoaqKf5I

[@TG4859]

He wears such uniform later. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqCthJyBZ8x4orM

[@august2241]

i think it’s perfect, he’s like a politician and most of them don’t wear military uniforms...

[@nicopavvi8494]

The opera is Setted in the 1800s, at that time those uniforms were reserved for the evening, while they used normal clothing for traveling. Maybe he could have had an huge top hat.

[@brother-captainbassenheim608]

@@august2241 Except if they're Sir Joseph Porter or Count Otto von Bismarck, of course

[@alexanderc.4654]

Best into of Sir Joseph ever

[@cthulumythosreporter8515]

When you prefer the life of a pawn and it actually works out.

[@azh698]

Or else: when you're a pawn but you actually reach the opponent's back line.

[@Jeff-gj7ko]

Just don't expect to do anything important.

[@itaintalfot]

The version by Drew Forsythe is my favourite, but this is a very creditable second.

[@chriscann7627]

Captain Corcoran appears to have something strange on his upper lip - clean shaven or "full set" ONLY in the Royal Navy!

[@coolmikefromcanada]

i am quite amussed at how he seems to be almost terrified of his sister and his cousins and his aunts (his sister and his cousins and his aunts!)

[@treesny]

The female soloist is his Cousin Hebe (not his sister).

[@ludwigvan8266]

SIR JOSEPH: I Am the Monarch of the Sea The ruler of the Queen's Navy, Whose praise Great Britain loudly chants. COUSIN HEBE: And we are his sisters, and his cousins and his aunts! RELATIVES: And we are his sisters, and his cousins, and his aunts! his sisters, and his cousins, and his aunts! SIR JOSEPH: When at anchor here I ride My bosom swells with pride And I snap my fingers at a foeman's taunts; COUSIN HEBE: And so do his sisters, and his cousins, and his aunts! ALL: And so do his sisters, and his cousins, and his aunts! His sisters, and his cousins, and his aunts! SIR JOSEPH: But when the breezes blow, I generally go below, And seek the seclusion that a cabin grants; COUSIN HEBE: And so do his sisters, and his cousins, and his aunts! ALL: And so do his sisters, and his cousins, and his aunts! And so do his sisters, and his cousins, and his aunts! His sisters and his cousins, Whom he reckons up by dozens, And his aunts! ----------------------------------------------------- When I was a lad I served a term As office boy to an Attorney's firm. I cleaned the windows and I swept the floor, And I polished up the handle of the big front door. (CHORUS) -- He polished up the handle of the big front door. I polished up that handle so carefully That now I am the Ruler of the Queen's Navy! - He polished up that handle so carefully -- That now he is the Ruler of the Queen's Navy! As office boy I made such a mark That they gave me the post of a junior clerk. I served the writs with a smile so bland, And I copied all the letters in a big round hand -- He copied all the letters in a big round hand I copied all the letters in a hand so free, That now I am the Ruler of the Queen's Navy! - He copied all the letters in a hand so free, -- That now he is the Ruler of the Queen's Navy! In serving writs I made such a name That an articled clerk I soon became; I wore clean collars and a brand-new suit For the pass examination at the Institute, And that pass examination did so well for me, That now I am the Ruler of the Queen's Navee! - And that pass examination did so well for he, -- That now he is the Ruler of the Queen's Navee! Of legal knowledge I acquired such a grip That they took me into the partnership. And that junior partnership, I ween, Was the only ship that I ever had seen. But that kind of ship so suited me, That now I am the Ruler of the Queen's Navee! - But that kind of ship so suited he, -- That now he is the Ruler of the Queen's Navee! I grew so rich that I was sent By a pocket borough into Parliament. I always voted at my party's call, And I never thought of thinking for myself at all. I thought so little, they rewarded me By making me the Ruler of the Queen's Navee! - He thought so little, they rewarded he --- By making him the Ruler of the Queen's Navee! Now landsmen all, whoever you may be, If you want to rise to the top of the tree, If your soul isn't fettered to an office stool, Be careful to be guided by this golden rule - Stick close to your desks and never go to sea, And you all may be rulers of the Queen's Navee! - Stick close close to your desks and never go to sea, -- And you all may be rulers of the Queen's Navee!

[@PaulSaether]

just goes to show, doesn't it. If you are in the right frame of mind you can get great joy out of anything.

[@stewartberger7734]

Brilliant

[@helenwietlisbach8867]

Superb.

[@problemchimp4231]

Such an impressive vision of the Tory Party in the 20th & 21st century.

[@philippaine]

Now look for "guy noble and the w.a.s.o." version!!

[@kateaustin4254]

Fabulous.

[@LeeBurger-cy6fs]

This cured my Alzheimer’s❤️god bless America 🇺🇸 happy 3th of July 🤪

[@barbarafuglein3918]

Super!😊

[@joejoe6622]

Love it

[@graceysladea7950]

Reminds me of the opening of the slappy and the stinkers movie😃

[@Jeff-gj7ko]

2:30 And it looks like he just escaped from the 'Institute.'

[@DoctorWhoFanatic]

This is the type of performance I love, he needs ti be a buffoon and over the top like an aristocrat

[@mladenpostic279]

it's shame that only 11. thousand people watched this.

[@ludwigvan8266]

Thirty-three-thousand now, "and counting!" :-)

[@FJMLAM]

If you're British, he may remind you of Harry Secombe!

[@QuintonKettleburgh]

Anyone else think that Aunt Hebe looks like a rabbit?

[@olafbigandglad]

That's a big hook.

[@jackal59]

You just know from his salute that he's seen Benny Hill.

[@alecgraham8868]

Hi

[@peterprice7100]

Sir Joseph's cousins & aunts look more like his nieces

[@acasualcactus5878]

I’d like to see a version where it’s talking about His Sisters and His Cousins and His Aunts and His Nieces and His Grandmothers and His Mother.

[@FOLIPE]

Perhaps he is the eldest son of the eldest son

[@nicopavvi8494]

Welcome to early 1900s

[@TheZeusMan]

Salah

[@mavisemberson8737]

A cast list?

[@IngeDemmendaal]

It's from 2005 by Opera Australia. Sir Joseph Porter - John Bolton Wood Captain Corcoran - Anthony Warlow Ralph Rackstraw - David Hobson These three can also be seen in The Pirates of Penzance (2006) as Major General Stanley, The Pirate King and Frederic respectively, and also in Trial by jury as Counsel for the Plaintif, The Learned Judge and The Plaintif respectively. Anthony Warlow also plays a brilliant Archibald Grosvenor in Patience. All to be found on KZbin

[@googleisgay3289]

Well, it isn't any wonder they buried the genius. It is rather a wonder he continued to produce such scathing satire. Gogol did it better, but then, Gogol didn't have to play the dives he played.

[@Handleoff1]

Bob Marley did a great version.

[@johnnywhite58]

eh? Marley ?

[@musicmaker1617]

I have hard to understand what this is about. I am not English. But could it be interpret a comment on Boris Johnson? I understand that that wasn't its first meaning. But could it be understood that way in aftertime?

[@jamestown8398]

This song was originally written about a politician named William Henry Smith, a businessman and politician who became Lord Admiral of the British Navy despite having never served in the Navy before. More broadly this is about when people are appointed to government posts based on politics rather than merit. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Henry_Smith_(1825%E2%80%931891)

[@eggymayo3271]

It can apply to anyone appointed to a position based on them not 'rocking the boat'

[@scot4u]

I prefer origanal dress for G&S

[@reginabillotti]

Edwardian outfits still work. At least it's not contemporary dress.

[@justinelliot6433]

Who here because of Raiders?

[@jakes5796]

He seems out of breath at times.

[@rahsaanthomas7030]

That scene from Family Guy where Stewie was giving a sex tutorial to his older self brought me here..

[@TheDisney1901]

Bad dates.

[@brunomaples]

Buster Bluth if he wasn't a murderer

[@thedancehackersguidetoarge4301]

The cameraman understood the assignment showing that footwork at the end.