The Pirates of Penzance -- "My eyes are fully open"

[@the.youtube.of.sam.gotter]

Since no one else seems to be mentioning it, this song was originally in the Gilbert and Sullivan play Ruddigore, but someone thought (and I agree!) that it would work well in The Pirates of Penzance. Little known fact: in most (PoP) versions, Ruth ends her line with "So I'll sing a song from Ruddigore". I just thought I'd bring that up since no one in the comments section has said that before.

[@MeBeRhi1]

In another version Ruth sings: "So I'll sing this song from Ruddigore and it really doesnt matter" :)

[@CatWithAScarf]

I absolutely love this song!

[@AdcrofromTikTok]

I still love this production, including the Sparrow version of the Pirate King. However this Frederic being 21 seems a stretch lol

[@jan2602]

The popularity of this most famous of the Savoy Operas means it's always being seen somewhere in the world.(During the Sydney season last year there was also a major production playing in New York.) The OA 2006 season was planned years ago and this version was the last in a G&S series with Hobson and Warlow. Except for the Pirate King and this song it was faithful to the 1879 original, had a national tour of 100 performances over ten months and was a big box office hit.

[@Qdammit]

Yay Pirates!!!!!!!

[@faeriedaeloli]

I've been scouring the internet for the ending that i saw performed. at the end of the song, the band picks up again and an even faster pace and the pirate king points his gun at the orchestra and says "no more verses." and the band falls apart and stops. it was SOO hillarious.

[@JoshFreilich]

What I want to see is him pointing his blunderbuss at the conductor but he’s still vamping and he’s not going on until they do it again

[@the.youtube.of.sam.gotter]

I absolutely adore this particular version it is probably my favorite

[@MuinimulaMark]

This song's originally from another G&S (Ruddigore), in case you didn't know. It seems they've slotted it into 'Pirates' and changed some of the words. When I sang it in 'Ruddigore', I did my whole verse in one breath!

[@Flamma]

i watched this on tv a few weeks ago and i LOVED this part

[@Chriswren9]

It is from Gilbert & Sullivan's "Rudigroe". In the revival of "Pirates" with Kevin Kline used it and from there it just has really work for the show and it's a fun number!

[@johnwatson7541]

Brings back happy times. When i sang, in the Barts Hospital version of this great times

[@koosriedijk3872]

Suzanne Johnston brilliant. Love from the Netherlands.

[@superskyerocket1]

Ahhh I am in love with this song!! Everytime

[@coconuttytree]

I never tire of this. AW cracks me up. XD

[@amithysts]

never seen pirates of penzance but i like Anthony Warlow so i wanted to check it out XD and i find Anthony dressed up like Jack Sparrow lol thats not really jack, just i pirate king but based off of jack, right? or am i confusing myself 0_0;

[@flannerymonaghan-morris4825]

I love how endearingly dorky and awkward Frederic is here. Really fits the character here, and David Hobson reminds me a lot of Anthony Michael Hall.

[@jamboree1963]

@InvertedJabberwocky It was originally written for Ruddigore, but it's added into both.

[@InvertedJabberwocky]

This song is originally from the Gilbert & Sullivan opera "Ruddigore"; as was the case with many of their works, they took the song, reworked the lyrics slightly and put it in "The Pirates of Penzance" (though depending on the production, this song is sometime substituted for the similar "Duty, duty") The music in "The Speed Test" is from "my eyes are fully open", hence the similarities. Hope this cleared things up

[@richardcleveland8549]

Cleared up somewhat . . . but WHY?

[@nicoville20]

@@richardcleveland8549One man. Joesph Papp.

[@Chriswren9]

I'm just not crazy about this being put int to Penzance. I do like Warlow going for the Sparow look and feel it's been done the same o many times over again why not go crazy! Thanks for posting.

[@Ryleeee11]

We performed this version at my local theatre. I was lucky enough to have the role of Ruth. (: It was absolutely amazing!

[@chelseajo91]

wow these guys are awesome. that would be such a hard song to do! holy cow!

[@onsidedlove]

Don't blame Warlow for being dressed like Sparrow. Its the costume designers who did it.

[@lindabondperry]

Oh, but he carried it off SO BRILLIANTLY … !

[@InvertedJabberwocky]

I did know about it being from Ruddigore :) One breath? Wow! That's amazing!

[@jan2602]

Suzanne Johnston, a leading Australian mezzo (and Tessa on the OA Gondoliers DVD) sang the role of Ruth.

[@iamnowchristine]

LOL!!! I'd love to hear that!!! Does anyone else realize what a good Johnny Depp/Captain Jack Sparrow imitation the Pirate King is doing?

[@PuissantAlgernon]

Despard? o_O He's the Pirate King, hence the Sparrowness. Although the song's from Ruddigore it often gets put into Pirates of Penzance, as in this case.

[@iamnowchristine]

He, (Anthony Warlow, that is,) is fantastic! So funny!!!

[@jusenik]

@mealwormissupercool I think this song was written for Ruddigore and only added to Pirates in 1980s.

[@alisantetik3725]

Janez Usenik well this production is based on the Papp version of Pirates

[@fluffypuppy42]

this is awsome.

[@Reeal15]

I love the lyrics!

[@keepincurtis]

Its funny that since the Kevin Kline/Angela Landsbury production of Pirates of Penzance they've had this song in the show, when its actually a song from G&S's last piece, Ruddigore. In the first production of pirates where they included this song Ruth said "So I'll sing a song from Ruddigore it really doesn't matter." This is still a fantastic job of it, though.

[@dancethebossanova]

@mealwormissupercool I believe that this song was originally in RUDDIGORE - also by Gilbert and Sullivan. In the 1800's when G&S boarded a ship to New York from England to "Pitch" their new play "Pirates of Penzance" to Broadway... they discovered to their horror that they had forgotten to bring the manuscript with them. They then cobbled together pieces of other plays and from memory re-wrote Pirates on the trip over. Apparently very different from what they left at home on the table.

[@RossiniSoprano]

Gilbert and Sullivan did not rework the lyrics. This number from Ruddigore was first put into Pirates in the Papp broadway production of 1980-81.

[@yajunwindbell]

The 1995 Opera Australia Patience DVD could be found on a few websites, such as amazon, I believe. That's a great video.

[@bfgmsbu]

many productions change the lyrics to fit the concept of the show. This patter number is from Ruddigore, so the text has to be changed no matter what. Unless of course we assume that the first name of the Pirate King is Despard, lol.

[@kittydluffy]

i like thiss

[@mdjack9]

the song "speed test" from thoroughly modern millie was in fact based on this song from pirates of penzance.

[@dancethebossanova]

I believe that this song was originally in RUDDIGORE - also by Gilbert and Sullivan. In the 1800's when G&S boarded a ship to New York from England to "Pitch" their new play "Pirates of Penzance" to Broadway... they discovered to their horror that they had forgotten to bring the manuscript with them. They then cobbled together pieces of other plays and from memory re-wrote Pirates on the trip over. Apparently very different from what they left at home on the table.

[@commradefyedka]

@InvertedJabberwocky It was originally in a different G&S called Ruddigore. Then one production of Pirates put it in and it became a tradition. Mille Nabbed it for The Speed Test since it was out of copyright and it suited it's purpose.

[@RebeccaMax13]

In the film version, the last line of Ruth's verse is "So we'll take this song from Ruddigore because it doesn't matter!"

[@Lissical]

Actually when I listened to this, I didn't hear the line change. But I still love that they used Papp's idea to put the song in here.

[@InvertedJabberwocky]

Yep, it was Margaret, Sir Ruthven and Despard, if memory serves me correctly (it's been years since I last saw Ruddigore too :P)

[@Yorkshirefreckles]

Yes your correct

[@DocuzanQuitomos]

@Kremzeek217 Thoroughly Modern Millie was produced as a musical on 2002

[@enzebi5846]

trop bien

[@jpg0901]

I'd like to see this production actually...Anthony Warlow is awesome...nuff said...they used to have him doing Pirate King on here but now it's gone...

[@lauraspark4760]

JP Gorski you can still buy the DVD of this performance at the abc shop online. 💕

[@InvertedJabberwocky]

I'm fairly certain it was added to "Pirates" before "Thoroughly Modern Millie".

[@InvertedJabberwocky]

When I saw it the "Too much information" surtitle appeared when David first started singing XD

[@coconuttytree]

That would be Anthony Warlow. Fantastic actor/singer. He's quite the chameleon.

[@clairabelle7]

It was done on purpose because this particular series of performances were AFTER the success of the pirates of the caribbean. So they PURPOSELY dressed and made him act like captain sparrow to encourage people to see the G&S. I find it to be quite quite sad. John English Simon Gallaher and Co were NOT dressed like that nor were there mannerisms like Captain Sparrow. They were trying to make themselves relevant

[@FireofSekhmet]

I think Ruddigore came first, actually; and then a version of Pirates added this song... I'm pretty sure this wasn't in the original PoP score.

[@jpg0901]

will do...

[@Fruitsbasket8890]

the pirate king looks like jack from the carribean aahahahhahaa

[@stphnmc]

Long live ~Ruddigore!!!!!

[@jpg0901]

You should be honored that you even got the part in the first place...it's really up to the director what happens and whether or not you're going to be imitating Captain Jack Sparrow so you can either sit there and bitch at him for it...or you can suck it up and take part in this show...your call

[@InvertedJabberwocky]

As much as I enjoyed it, I have to agree with you there; I always thought companies like Opera Australia were above cashing in on the PotC craze.

[@MrJason300]

Amazing lol

[@jpg0901]

agreed

[@alex_michaels]

It kind of doesn't... I realize that "The Speed Test" is from here, but... Why? There was a conscious decision to take this song and fit it into Thoroughly Modern Millie, and TMM was NOT written by Gilbert and Sullivan. A decision like that has some sort of crazy story to go along with it. If you know it, I'd be much obliged to hear it.

[@mealwormissupercool]

wait, im confused...does anyone know if thoroughly modern millie stole this song, or if pirates of penzance did? cuz if its like a substitution for a different song, maybe it was added in after thoroughly modern millie was written, even though pirates of penzance was written first. does anyone know??

[@InvertedJabberwocky]

Yes, it is, but Gilbert and Sullivan reworked the lyrics slightly and slotted it into "Pirates"

[@maryhanrahan2553]

@mealwormissupercool It wasn't stolen, per se. The creators involved with musicalizing Mille for Broadway acknowledged the song was based off of the one by Gilbert and Sullivan. You can see that if you look Thoroughly Modern Mille up on IBDB.com

[@alex_michaels]

Was this song added to this particular production as a musical theatre joke, or did Thoroughly Modern Millie take this song and rework it to fit? I'm very confused. I'm unfortunately unfamiliar with Pirates of Penzance, but I can't help but notice how ridiculously similar this is to "The Speed Test" from Thoroughly Modern Millie (which I AM familiar with). Help?

[@VoicesByZane]

With pirates of the Carribean, Every pirate is Jack sparrow now-a-days. Blackbeards rolling in his grave

[@afrox]

@mealwormissupercool Thoroughly modern millie did an HOMAGE to the matter patter. They didn't steal lit it was like a tribute. besides, Pirates is genuinely pre-1920s, Millie was made much after the 1920s

[@SwingSiren]

Isn't this from Ruddigore?

[@DocuzanQuitomos]

Thoroughly Modern Millie was produced as a musical on 2002

[@InvertedJabberwocky]

The Pirate King was modelled off Jack Sparrow for this production merely as a jab at pop culture

[@bootress]

Ha. Pirates was first performed in 1879. Millie? 2002.

[@TauntonSavoyard]

There is actually no need to be so gratuitously rude and offensive. I was merely making a point that this number has nothing to do with PIRATES - it was written 8 years after that show. Gilbert and Sullivan themselves would never sanction the use of a number from one of their works in another - it they made a quote from another opera and as I recall they only did so twice, that was because they considered it necessary.

[@bravehearticus]

i see Jack Sparrow :)

[@InvertedJabberwocky]

I think it's more like the Pirate King resembles and has similar mannerisms to Jack Sparrow

[@InvertedJabberwocky]

I have no real idea why... Perhaps "The Speed Test" was intended to be an homage to G&S?

[@pannicatack]

@mealwormissupercool They both stole it. The song's originally from Ruddigore.

[@hellocello3200]

I'm not a fan of the Jack Sparrow as the Pirate king, but these three are good. Ruth is a little too pretty imo

[@eileenod]

Matter trio is originally from Ruddigore and in my opinion should stay there. Pirates is fine without it.

[@John_Snowbird]

I don't think it's a problem - just a little poke at the popular culture of the day. No different than G&S making a little joke at their own expense in the major General song with that line about "all the airs from the infernal nonsense 'Pinafore'".

[@TauntonSavoyard]

Can we just make it quite clear that this number was not written for PIRATES. Gilbert and Sullivan worte it specifically for RUDDIGORE. This number has no business being in PIRATES at all.

[@InvertedJabberwocky]

The Pirate King; David Hobson was Frederic

[@averynb1218]

Very very disappointing that a foolish director dismissed Warlow's originality in favor of a tired character from an over-rated trilogy. The man's fully capable of forming his own character--come on! Let him do it!

[@Emithetaxi]

I hate the tendency in recent productions to clothe the Pirate King as Jack Sparrow.

[@christinefarquhar2858]

Cinmuop

[@richardcleveland8549]

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-zarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre! How very, VERY strange! Would WSG approve??

[@SirSquinty]

he looks WAYYYYYYY too much like jack sparrow

[@stringbean12]

Talent or no talent, the director is an idiot for modelling the Pirate King after Jack Sparrow. I don't care what the reasoning was, copy-cats cheapen a production. Forget the RUDDIGORE issue. This is the TRUE insult to Gilbert and Sullivan.

[@thelivesofme1]

so, thoroughly modern millie, totally stole this..

[@AshleySwitchhXD]

That's an idiotic thing to say. This came first. So they copied Pirates of Penzance.

[@InvertedJabberwocky]

Yes, it is, but Gilbert and Sullivan reworked the lyrics slightly and slotted it into "Pirates"