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Show THE PLOT OF PENZANCE. <br><br> The "Pirates of Penzance," the new opera by Gilbert and Sullivan, is said to be funnier and superior in all respects to "Pinafore." The plot is one of the most absurd things that ever emanated from mental brain. It is thus summarized by the New York World. <br><br> The plot of the opera is based on the strong sense of duty that arises in the breast of a young man who at a very early age has been apprenticed to a band of pirates by his nurse, who being hard of hearing, mistook her instructions - pilots being originally intended. On discovering the fact she was afraid to return to her master's and become a "piratorial maid of all work." The first act is laid on the rugged coast of Cornwall, England, and discloses the haunt of the pirates, situated in a rocky defile. The young man, who will become of age in half an hour, discloses the fact that he feels it a sense of duty to exterminate the band, and on this account he will leave them as soon as the clock strikes 12, when the term of his apprenticeship will expire. As a piece of parting advice he tells the chief that as pirates they are too tender-hearted, as they will not attack all vessels, and always allow orphans to escape. The pirate chief admits the force of the argument, and the young man is told that he must go. The nurse wants to accompany him, but he, being doubtful as to whether she is handsome, asks her to tell him truly how she is compared with other women. She tells him she is quite well and has been called handsome, and, as they are about to depart, the sound of girls' voices are heard on the top of the cliff. Consternation is the lot of the nurse, who does not know what to do, while the boy is carried away with by the beauty of the bevy of young maidens he sees approaching. The nurse runs away, and he hides among the rocks to see what they will do. They are the daughters of a Major General, who lives in the vicinity, on a picnic. While waiting for lunch, they decide to paddle in the water, and while they are in the act of taking their shoes off the apprentice discovers himself. He asks if there is any maiden there who will love him, and they answer him no. Just as he finishes his pleading, the Major General's youngest daughter comes in, and, after chiding her sister, says she will love him. Arrangements are made to be married immediately, but the plan fails, owing to the return of the pirates, who capture the young ladies and claim them as their wives. Their father, the Major General, comes to their aid, and they are refused because he says he is an orphan. The act closes with the young ladies, their father and the apprentice leaving the place waving an English flag, while the pirates elect the Major General as an honorary member, and wave the black flag in farewell. <br><br> The second act represents a ruined chapel on the estate of the Major General, who is discovered surrounded by his daughters mourning the fact that he had escaped from the pirates through a lie, as he was not an orphan. The young apprentice is now the captain of a force to exterminate the pirates, and his troops, which represent a corps of London policemen, are brought in to receive the Major General's parting blessing. All retire, leaving the apprentice alone, and he is approached by the [pirate chief] and his nurse, who announce to him that he was born on the 29th of February, and hence he is only five years old and still their apprentice, as he does not reach his twenty-first birthday until 1949. His sense of duty compels him to return with them and assist in the capture of the Major General. The police return and hearing the pirates approach, they hide. The pirates also hide on hearing the Major General approach. The latter is captured and the police come to the rescue, but they are defeated in the conflict. However, they call upon the pirates to surrender in the name of the Queen, and they do so. The Major General calls a court martial immediately, but on learning form the nurse that the pirates are noblemen, he asks forgiveness and marries his daughters to them. <br><br> The opera was received in the most enthusiastic manner in New York, and created uproarious applause and laughter. |