The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan

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No. 25: CHORUS & SOLO (Sergeant)
No. 26: CHORUS & SOLO (Samuel)

"A rollicking band of Pirates we...
With cat-like tread"

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Chorus of Pirates without, in the distance.

Pirates.

A rollicking band of pirates we,
Who, tired of tossing on the sea,
Are trying their hand at a burglaree,
With weapons grim and gory.

Sergeant.

Hush, hush! I hear them on the manor poaching,
With stealthy step the pirates are approaching.

Chorus of Pirates, resumed nearer.

Pirates.

We are not coming for plate or gold –
A story General Stanley’s told –
We seek a penalty fifty-fold,
For General Stanley’s story.

Police.

They seek a penalty

Pirates.

Fifty-fold!
We seek a penalty

Police.

Fifty-fold!

Pirates & Police.

They/We seek a penalty fifty-fold,
For General Stanley’s story.

Sergeant.

They come in force, with stealthy stride,
Our obvious course is now – to hide.

Police.

Tarantara, tarantara!
Tarantara, tarantara!

Police conceal themselves. As they do so, the Pirates are seen appearing at ruined windows. They enter cautiously, and come down stage. SAMUEL is laden with burglarious tools and pistols, etc.

Pirates. (very loud)

With cat-like tread,
Upon our prey we steal;
In silence dread,
Our cautious way we feel.
No sound at all,
We never speak a word,
A fly’s foot-fall
Would be distinctly heard –

Police. (pianissimo)

Tarantara, tarantara!

Pirates.

So stealthily the pirate creeps,
While all the household soundly sleeps.

Pirates.	Police.
Come, friends, who plough the sea, Truce to navigation; Take another station; Let’s vary piracee With a little burglaree! Come, friends, who plough the sea, Truce to navigation; Take another station; Let’s vary piracee With a little burglaree!	Ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, Ra, ra, ra, ra, Ra, ra, ra, ra, Ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, Ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, Ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, Ra, ra, ra, ra, Ra, ra, ra, ra, Ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, Ra, Tarantara, ra, ra!

Samuel. (distributing implements to various members of the gang)

Here’s your crowbar and your centrebit,
Your life-preserver – you may want to hit!
Your silent matches, your dark lantern seize,
Take your file and your skeletonic keys.

Enter KING, FREDERIC and RUTH.

Police.

Tarantara.

Pirates.

With cat-like tread

Police.

Tarantara.

Pirates.

In silence dread,

click on picture to enlarge — Samuel (Sydney Granville) and the Sergeant (Leo Sheffield)
1920s

Pirates.

With cat-like tread,
Upon our prey we steal;
In silence dread,
Our cautious way we feel.
No sound at all,
We never speak a word,
A fly’s foot-fall
Would be distinctly heard –

Pirates.	Police.
Come, friends, who plough the sea, Truce to navigation; Take another station; Let’s vary piracee With a little burglaree! With cat-like tread Upon our prey we steal; In silence dread Our cautious way we feel.	Taranta- ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, Ra, ra, ra, ra, Ra, ra, ra, ra, Ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, ra, Ra, Tarantara, ra, ra! Tarantara, Tarantara, Tarantara, Tarantara, ra, ra!

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