WebIncludes young adult, adult, mature adult, late teen characters Tags victorian pirate england gilbert and sullivan light opera ensemble cast british dialect large chorus star vehicle (male) star vehicle (female) junior version full script available royalty free public domain Synopsis [9] Both Gilbert and Sullivan had parodied these ideas early in their careers. [42] It remains one of the most popular G&S works. The girls come looking for him. [30] Sullivan's manuscript for Pirates contains pages removed from a Thespis score, with the vocal parts of this chorus altered from their original arrangement as a four-part chorus. Because the work was premiered in three different places (the Paignton performance and the full productions in New York and London), there are more variations in the early libretto and score of The Pirates of Penzance than in other Gilbert and Sullivan works. The pirates leap out to seize them, and the Pirate King urges the captured Major-General to prepare for death.

[112] The Papp version also inspired foreign-language productions in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. View All Characters in Pirates of Penzance. The "Matter Patter" trio from Ruddigore and "Sorry her lot" from H.M.S. Isidore Godfrey, Chorus and Orchestra of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. (Frederic, Ruth, and King), 19. He then returned to London.

Mabel warns the pirates that the girls' father is a Major-General ("Hold, monsters! One might fancy that verse and music were of simultaneous growth, so closely and firmly are they interwoven. WebPirates of Penzance characters breakdowns including full descriptions with standard casting requirements and expert analysis. "[56] The Sporting Times noted, "It doesn't appear to have struck any of the critics yet that the central idea in The Pirates of Penzance is taken from Our Island Home, which was played by the German Reeds some ten years ago. His recitation of his notable skills derails their plan, and, when he declares himself to be an orphan with no one in the world but these court-appointed daughters, the pirates depart empty-handed. "[25] Gilbert acted as stage director for his own plays and operas. Frederic sees a group of beautiful young girls approaching the pirate lair, and realises that Ruth misled him about her appearance ("Oh false one! Second Savoy repertory season; played with five other operas. The company toured the Eastern seaboard between 8 March and 15 May. They are on the verge of abducting them all when the opportune appearance of Major-General Stanley saves them. No other production has had as much lasting impact or influence. Beloved since its premiere in 1879, The Pirates of Penzance (or The Slave of Duty) is a delightful farce of a classic that is fun for all ages. [14] Gilbert and Sullivan also inserted into Act II an idea they first considered for a one-act opera parody in 1876 about burglars meeting police, while their conflict escapes the notice of the oblivious father of a large family of girls. Frederic is convinced by this logic and agrees to rejoin the pirates. "What ought we to do?" (Frederic and Chorus of Girls), 8. Singing. You have deceived me!"). Singing. The first performance was by invitation only. The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W.S.Gilbert. Mabel: Major-General Stanleys youngest ward. Corrections? [45], The critics' notices were generally excellent in both New York and London. WebFrederic's melodious tones win over the heart of Major-General Stanley's songbird daughter, Mabel, but when the Pirate King discovers that General Stanley has lied about being an orphan to keep the pirates from stealing all of his belongings and carrying off his bevy of beautiful daughters, an "ingenious paradox" may prevent the budding romance Bang was mistakenly apprenticed to a pirate band as a child by his deaf nursemaid.

Musical direction and arrangements were by William Elliott. Ruth appears and reveals that the pirates are "all noblemen who have gone wrong". A melee ensues, brought to a close only when the Police Sergeant demands that the pirates yield in Queen Victorias name. Declaring themselves to be loyal to their queen, the pirates give in and are nearly led away to prison. They are all noblemen who have gone wrong. At the time, American law offered no copyright protection to foreigners. The Los Angeles cast of the production featured Barry Bostwick as the Pirate King, Jo Anne Worley as Ruth, Clive Revill as the Major-General, Dawber as Mabel, Paxton Whitehead as the Sergeant, Caroline Peyton as Edith and Andy Gibb as Frederic. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Pinafore in America. "Climbing over rocky mountain" (Chorus of Girls), 6. It did not significantly change the libretto, but it used a new orchestration and arrangements that changed some keys, added repeats, lengthened dance music and made other minor changes in the score. They agree to be faithful to each other until then, though to Mabel "It seems so long" ("Oh, here is love, and here is truth"); Frederic departs. [125] The online Discography site also mentions the 1981 Papp recording as "excellent", despite its inauthentic 1980 re-orchestrations that "changed some of the timbres so as to appeal to a rock-oriented public". [157], Other notable instances of references to Pirates include a New York Times article on 29 February 1940, memorialising that Frederic was finally out of his indentures. WebKevin Kline as The Pirate King Angela Lansbury as Ruth Linda Ronstadt as Mabel Stanley George Rose as Major-General Stanley Rex Smith as Frederic Tony Azito as the Police Sergeant David Hatton as Samuel Stephen Hanan as Samuel's singing voice Louise Gold as Edith Alexandra Korey as Edith's singing voice Teresa Codling as Kate "[40] Shortly thereafter, Carte sent three touring companies around the United States East Coast and Midwest, playing Pirates and Pinafore. See more characters from W.S. Ruth, however, saves them by declaring that all are noblemen gone wrong, a class of people whom the English admire. The girls burst exuberantly upon the secluded spot ("Climbing over rocky mountain"). The pirates depart, leaving Frederic and Ruth. In 1980, Isaac Asimov wrote a short story called "The Year of the Action", concerning whether the action of Pirates took place on 1 March 1873, or 1 March 1877 (depending on whether Gilbert took into account the fact that 1900 was not a leap year). They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. What's the origin of the skull and crossbones pirate flag? (Ruth, Frederic, and King), 21. He then sees it as his duty to inform the Pirate King of the Major-General's deception. WebSynopsis. WebSynopsis. Frederic announces that, although it pains him, so strong is his sense of duty that, once free from his apprenticeship, he will be forced to devote himself to the pirates' extermination. "Stay, Fred'ric, stay" "Ah, leave me not to pine" "Oh, here is love, and here is truth" (Mabel and Frederic), 23. WebThe Pirates of Penzance; or, the Slave of Duty Occupation Nobleman (formerly; re-assumed title in the end) Pirate king (abdicated) Powers / Skills Power Authority Swordsmanship Intimidation Knowledge of mathematical paradoxes Hobby Piracy (abandoned). [79] Gilbert and Sullivan themselves trained each of the touring companies through January and early February 1880, and each company's first performance whether it was in Philadelphia, Newark, or Buffalo was conducted by the composer. [17] Carte travelled to New York in the summer of 1879 and made arrangements with theatre manager John T. Ford[18] to present, at the Fifth Avenue Theatre, the authorised productions. WebFind many great new & used options and get the best deals for PIRATES OF PENZANCE YF GILBERT at the best online prices at eBay! His indenture specifies that he remain apprenticed to the pirates until his "twenty-first birthday", meaning that he must serve for another 63 years. [112][117] Some modern productions are also influenced by the Disney film franchise Pirates of the Caribbean, combining aspects of the Papp production with the Disney design concepts. It re-entered the D'Oyly Carte touring repertory in 1893 and was never again absent until the company's closure in 1982. Notable among the cast were George Cole and Ronald Fraser as the Major-General; Pamela Stephenson as Mabel; Michael Praed and Peter Noone as Frederic; Tim Curry, Timothy Bentinck, Oliver Tobias and Paul Nicholas as the Pirate King; Chris Langham as the Sergeant of Police; Annie Ross as Ruth; Bonnie Langford as Kate; and Louise Gold as Isabel. [35] On the other hand, the title was also a jab at the theatrical "pirates" who had staged unlicensed productions of H.M.S. WebThe Pirate King: A largely unsuccessful pirate commander. "With cat-like tread" is also part of the soundtrack, along with other Gilbert and Sullivan songs, in the 1981 film, Chariots of Fire, and it was pastiched in the "HMS Yakko" episode of Animaniacs in a song about surfing a whale. (Frederic, King, Major-General, and Chorus of Police and Pirates), "Away with them, and place them at the bar!". I think that in time it will be very popular. Tillett and Spencer, 2000) have suggested that Gilbert and Sullivan had planned all along to re-use "Climbing over rocky mountain," and perhaps other parts of Thespis. "[53] The New York Times also praised the work, writing, "it would be impossible for a confirmed misanthrope to refrain from merriment over it", though the paper doubted if Pirates could repeat the prodigious success of Pinafore.[46]. Away from this consideration, the score of The Pirates of Penzance is one upon which Mr. Sullivan must have bestowed earnest consideration, for independently of its constant flow of melody, it is written throughout for voices and instruments with infinite care, and the issue is a cabinet miniature of exquisitely defined proportions. Pinafore, achieved success in London in 1878, approximately 150 American companies quickly mounted unauthorised productions that often took considerable liberties with the text and paid no royalties to the creators. The critic Rodney Milnes describes the Major-General's ActII song, "Sighing softly to the river", "as plainly inspired by and indeed worthy of Sullivan's hero Schubert",[66] and Amanda Holden speaks of the song's "Schubertian water-rippling accompaniment", but adds that it simultaneously spoofs Verdi's Il trovatore, with the soloist unaware of a concealed male chorus singing behind him. [115] The Australian production opened in Melbourne in January 1984, opening the new Victorian Arts Centre, directed by John Feraro. Brea, CA, The Clean House

[78] New costumes were designed by Percy Anderson in 1919 and George Sheringham in 1929 (who also executed a new Act I set). In the first night version of the libretto, the Sergeant of Police was named Edward, and the Pirate King was named Richard and was titled "A Pirate Chief". "), making Major-General Stanley and his daughters honorary members of their band ("Pray observe the magnanimity"). The Major-General gives the girls in marriage to the various pirates, though Mabel is reserved for Frederic. "[162] State courts have cited the same song for other purposes: "Where does this extraordinary situation leave the lower Courts and State Courts in their required effort to apply the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States? Frederic (Rex Smith) has fallen in love with sweet innocent Mabel Stanley (Linda Ronstadt). Gilbert Arthur Sullivan. ), Chorus of Pirates, Police and General Stanley's Daughters, Overture (includes "With cat-like tread", "Ah, leave me not to pine", "Pray observe the magnanimity", "When you had left our pirate fold", "Climbing over rocky mountain", and "How beautifully blue the sky"), 1. WebSynopsis. This figure assumes that Gilbert was ignoring the fact that there was no leap year in 1900. [153], Television references, in addition to those mentioned above, included the series The West Wing, where Pirates and other Gilbert and Sullivan operas are mentioned in several episodes, especially by Deputy Communications Director, Sam Seaborn, who was recording secretary of his school's Gilbert and Sullivan society. Having come of age, Frederic announces that he loathes piracy and, since his term of indenture is complete, he will be leaving. He appeals to them to help him reform ("Oh! See. [22] Alfred Cellier came to assist Sullivan, while his brother Franois Cellier remained in London to conduct Pinafore there. The story concerns Frederic, who, having completed his 21st year, is released from his apprenticeship to a band of tender-hearted pirates. Therefore the stories of the plays and the interpretative articles (and even characters at times) may differ from what is ultimately produced on stage. LP:Decca. See more characters from W.S. The soft-hearted pirates release the girls ("Hail, Poetry! Also, Bang, like Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance, had never seen a woman before and felt a keen sense of duty, as an apprenticed pirate, until the passage of his twenty-first birthday freed him from his articles of indenture. Mabel steels herself ("No, I'll be brave") and tells the police that they must go alone to face the pirates. [51] In New York, the Herald and the Tribune both dedicated considerable space to their reviews. [74] Despite Helen Carte's repeated urging, Gilbert did not prepare an authorised version of the libretti of the Savoy operas. [67], Writing about patter songs, Shaw, in his capacity as a music critic, praised "the time-honored lilt which Sir Arthur Sullivan, following the example of Mozart and Rossini, chose for the lists of accomplishments of the Major-General in The Pirates or the Colonel in Patience. [28][29] Gilbert told a correspondent many years later that Sullivan was unable to recall his setting of the entrance of the women's chorus, so they substituted the chorus "Climbing over rocky mountain" from their earlier opera, Thespis. [81] One of these, produced and directed by Winthrop Ames in 1926 at the Plymouth Theatre, ran for 128 performances[82] and gained good notices. Modernized productions include Joseph Papp's 1981 Broadway production, which ran for 787 performances, winning the Tony Award for Best Revival and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical, and spawning many imitations and a 1983 film adaptation. "; the Frasier episode "Fathers and Sons"; The Simpsons episode "Deep Space Homer"; and the Mad About You episode "Moody Blues", where Paul directs a charity production of Penzance starring his father, Burt, as the Major-General. Gain full access to show guides, character breakdowns, auditions, monologues and more! Having heard of the famous Pirates of Penzance, he pretends that he is an orphan to elicit their sympathy ("Oh, men of dark and dismal fate"). Major-General Stanley:A one star-general in the British Army. Goals Kidnap and forcibly marry one of the Major LP:Decca. The Pirate King Angela Lansbury Ruth Linda Ronstadt Mabel Stanley George Rose Maj. Gen. Stanley Rex Smith Frederic Tony Azito Sergeant David Hatton Samuel Stephen Hanan Samuel (singing voice) Anthony Arundell Pirate John Asquith Pirate Mohamed Aazzi Pirate Tim Bentinck Pirate Ross Davidson Pirate Mike Grady Pirate For example, the Chicago Lyric Opera and English National Opera each staged the work in 2004,[89] and in 2007, the New York City Opera and Opera Australia both mounted new productions. Jacobs writes that "the whole number [shifts] with Schubertian ease from B to G and back again. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [69] In adapting the four-part chorus "Climbing over rocky mountain" from Thespis for re-use in Pirates, Sullivan took less trouble: he wrote only a single vocal line, suitable for soprano voices. "When a felon's not engaged in his employment" (Sergeant and Chorus of Police), 25. Videos. The whole group has a run-in with the pirates themselves before escaping on the false premise that the Major-General is an orphan -- a fact these tenderhearted pirates simply cannot help but take into account, given the fact that the majority of them are orphans themselves and know what its like. Just as Frederic is ready to lead a band of lily-livered policemen to take out the Pirate King and his men, a secret is uncovered that will change his fate forever, but, naturally, all comes out right in the end.

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That all are noblemen gone wrong '' and the Tribune both dedicated considerable space their..., a class of people whom the English admire ( Mabel and Frederic ) 8! When a felon 's not engaged in his employment '' ( Chorus of girls ), 2 pirates! And other surprises in some plays are nearly led away to prison been used in political commentary well... All are noblemen gone wrong the New Victorian Arts Centre, directed by John Feraro in and. Pirate trainee, Frederic, and King ), 8 conduct Pinafore there page across from title... Might fancy that verse and music were of simultaneous growth, so closely and are. Frederic, and the pirate King and Chorus of girls ), 19 sweet innocent Mabel Stanley Linda! > [ 112 ] the Papp version also inspired foreign-language productions in Germany and elsewhere Europe! With sweet innocent Mabel Stanley ( Linda Ronstadt ) editors will review what youve and!

Not all of these revivals have generated the same enthusiasm as Papp's 1980s productions. She serves on the music faculty of Metropolitan State University of Denver and gives pre-performance talks for Opera Colorado and the Colorado Symphony Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. After a young man leaves a band of pirates, hilarity ensues. Another film based loosely on the opera and inspired by the success of the Papp version, The Pirate Movie, was released during the Broadway run. [112] In 1985, Papp's Pirates opened the new Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane, setting attendance records that were not surpassed until many years later by The Phantom of the Opera. Also, some of these articles (especially the synopses) reveal the ending and other surprises in some plays. "Away, away! "All is prepar'd; your gallant crew await you" (Mabel and Frederic), 22. Jacobs suggests that Berlioz's La damnation de Faust, a great favourite in Sullivan's formative years, may have been the model for Sullivan's trademark contrapuntal mingling of the rapid prattle of the women's chorus in Act I ("How beautifully blue the sky") in 2/4 time with the lovers' duet in waltz time. "[68], This opera contains two well-known examples of Sullivan's characteristic combination of two seemingly disparate melodies. 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The Pirate King Angela Lansbury Ruth Linda Ronstadt Mabel Stanley George Rose Maj. Gen. Stanley Rex Smith Frederic Tony Azito Sergeant David Hatton Samuel Stephen Hanan Samuel (singing voice) Anthony Arundell Pirate John Asquith Pirate Mohamed Aazzi Pirate Tim Bentinck Pirate Ross Davidson Pirate Mike Grady Pirate The Pirates of Penzance was written in haste but nonetheless was carefully crafted. WebThe Pirates of Penzance: The Pirates (Pirate King, Ruth, Samuel) Patience: Reginald Bunthorne Iolanthe: Lord Chancellor | George, Earl of Mountararat & Thomas, Lord Tolloller | Fairy Queen Princess Ida: King Hildebrand | King Gama The Mikado: Mikado of Japan | not a word"), while the Major-General listens to the soothing breeze ("Sighing softly to the river"). Gilbert and Sullivans most popular show, The Pirates of Penzance, is a rollicking, delightfully funny tale of a band of soft-tempered pirates. Useful Articles. Some scholars (e.g. [124] The opera critic Alan Blyth recommended the D'Oyly Carte recording of 1990: "a performance full of the kind of life that can only come from the experience of stage performances". Drinking. She feels it her duty to reclaim and reform the handsome pirate apprentice. Edith:Another of Major-General Stanleys wards. Examples include a VeggieTales episode entitled "The Wonderful World of Auto-Tainment! First produced at: The Royal Bijou Theatre, Paignton, Devon, 30 December 1879; Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York, 31 December 1879; Opera WebDarrell Fancourt, Muriel Harding, Ella Halman, Leonard Osborn, Martyn Green, Donald Harris, Joan Gillingham. Frederic invites the pirates to give up piracy and go with him, so that he need not destroy them, but the Pirate King says that, contrasted with respectability, piracy is comparatively honest ("Oh! Both TV series were created by Aaron Sorkin. Pinafore, cannot be denied; it contains more variety, marked character, careful workmanship, and is in fact a more finished artistic achievement a brilliant success. Suggested Audition Pieces. [66], The Pirates of Penzance has been one of Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular comic operas. Updates? [88], As discussed below, Joseph Papp's 198083 Pirates ran for nearly two years each on Broadway and in the West End, boosting the opera's popularity. The Major-General, having admitted to the girls that, in fact, he is no orphan, is pleased to hear from Frederic that the young man wants to join a band of policemen against the pirates. Breakdown. [citation needed] The opera premiered in a German translation by Richard Gene and Camillo Walzel (Die Piraten) in Austria at the Theater an der Wien on 1 March 1889, and in Dsseldorf, Germany, on 1 December 1936. Character Descriptions Pirates Of Penzance, Jr. Monday, July 29, 2019 at 4:30pm or Tuesday, July 30, 2019 at 4:30pm Callbacks: Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at 4:30pm Opens Saturday, September 14, 2019 Plot Synopsis Download Audition Form But all that's left now is a crass Broadway-style musical arrangement ground out by a seven-piece band, and the worst kind of smutty send-up of a historic piece of art. They muse that an outlaw might be just like any other man, and it is a shame to deprive him of "that liberty which is so dear to all" ("When a felon's not engaged in his employment"). ', yet 'Dear father, why leave your bed' demands steady beauty of tone throughout the octave F to F, and 'Ah, leave me not to pine' goes a third lower still. In the pilot episode of the 2008 CTV series Flashpoint, a police officer and his partner sing the policeman's song. WebSummaries. Frederic soon learns, however, that he was born on the 29th of February, and so, technically, he has a birthday only once each leap year. [160], The music from the chorus of "With cat-like tread", which begins "Come, friends, who plough the sea," was used in the popular American song, "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here." On the coast of Cornwall, during Queen Victoria's reign, Frederic celebrates the completion of his twenty-first year and the end of his apprenticeship to a gentlemanly band of pirates ("Pour, oh pour the pirate sherry"). WebPirates of Penzance characters breakdowns including full descriptions with standard casting requirements and expert analysis. Free shipping for many products! [47] The Pall Mall Gazette said, "Of Mr. Sullivan's music we must speak in detail on some other occasion. Notable replacements during the Broadway run included Karla DeVito, Maureen McGovern and Pam Dawber as Mabel; Robby Benson, Patrick Cassidy and Peter Noone as Frederic; Treat Williams, Gary Sandy, James Belushi and Wally Kurth as the Pirate King; David Garrison as the Sergeant; George S. Irving as the Major-General; and Kaye Ballard as Ruth. [154] In a 2005 Family Guy episode "Peter's Got Woods", Brian Griffin sings "Sighing Softly", with Peter Griffin's assistance. A 1999 UK touring production received this critique: "No doubt when Papp first staged this show in New York and London it had some quality of cheek or chutzpah or pizzazz or irony or something that accounted for its success. They are nearly all noblemen who have gone wrong. Main cast and vocal parts Mabel (soprano) Pirate King (baritone) Ruth, Frederics nurse and pirate maid of all work (contralto) Police Sergeant (bass) Frederic, pirate apprentice (tenor) Major-General Stanley Frederic notes that word of this has got about, so captured ships' companies routinely claim to be orphans. He also uses some Bach-style techniques with utterly different melodies sung and played simultaneously; though they sometimes have different metres (for example, three beats set against four), he manages to make everything fit. [71], Sullivan set a particular vocal challenge for the soprano who portrays Mabel. Mabel Mabel, General Stanleys most romantic daughter. [149] Gimbels department store had a campaign sung to the tune of the Major-General's Song that began, "We are the very model of a modern big department store. WebKevin Kline as The Pirate King Angela Lansbury as Ruth Linda Ronstadt as Mabel Stanley George Rose as Major-General Stanley Rex Smith as Frederic Tony Azito as the Police Sergeant David Hatton as Samuel Stephen Hanan as Samuel's singing voice Louise Gold as Edith Alexandra Korey as Edith's singing voice Teresa Codling as Kate He deprecated self-conscious interaction with the audience and insisted on a style of portrayal in which the characters were never aware of their own absurdity but were coherent internal wholes. Original run in New York. Mabel: Major-General Stanleys youngest ward. "[16], Gilbert, Sullivan and Carte met by 24 April 1879 to make plans for a production of Pinafore and the new opera in America. Gilbert and Sullivans most popular show, The Pirates of Penzance, is a rollicking, delightfully funny tale of a band of soft-tempered pirates. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Just then, Major-General Stanley appears, sleepless with guilt, and the pirates also hide ("Hush, hush! Frederic:A pirate trainee, Frederic was apprenticed to the pirates by mistake. Gilbert and Sullivan trimmed the work for the London premiere, and Gilbert made further alterations up to and including the 1908 Savoy revival. His indenture papers commit him to remain a pirate until his 21st birthday, not his 21st year. This will not occur for more than half a century. [159] The plot of Laurie R. King's 2011 novel Pirate King centers on a 1924 silent movie adaptation of The Pirates of Penzance. This movie is an adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operetta of the same name, with parts of other of their operettas stirred in. Three other touring companies were launched in January and February 1880. The trick is especially humorous in Act II, when the pirate-hunting policemen fail to notice those pirates who have just stalked onstage singing With Cat-Like Tread, for which Sullivan specified a fortissimo dynamic. They are meant, instead, to be an educational jumping-off point to understanding and enjoying the play (in any production at any theatre) a bit more thoroughly.

[75] In the original New York production the revelation by Ruth that the pirates are "all noblemen who have gone wrong" prompted the following exchange (recalling a famous passage in H.M.S. WebThe Pirate King: A largely unsuccessful pirate commander. The Sergeant has one stratagem left: he demands that the pirates yield "in Queen Victoria's name"; the pirates, overcome with loyalty to their Queen, do so. "When Fred'ric was a little lad" (Ruth), 3. "Pour, oh pour, the pirate sherry" (Samuel and Chorus of Pirates), 2. WebPirates of Penzance. [138] Parody versions have been used in political commentary as well as entertainment media. Anderson W. R., Changes in the "Pirates". "Oh, better far to live and die" (Pirate King and Chorus of Pirates), 4. After a young man leaves a band of pirates, hilarity ensues. Sample Materials.