Gilbert’s original Act II Finale to The Pirates of Penzance included a reprise of “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General.”  Later, the operetta was revised, and the Act II Finale became a reprise of “Poor Wandering One.”

In 1980, Joseph Papp staged a new production of The Pirates of Penzance in New York’s Central Park, later taking it to Broadway.  Papp’s “Errol Flynn, swash buckling” interpretation of the operetta was fresh and innovative, and has significantly influenced most subsequent productions of the operetta.  Papp made a number of textual and musical revisions, including the restoration of Gilbert’s original finale, placing it immediately before the reprise of “Poor Wandering One” so that both finales were sung, one after the other.

Lesley Hendrickson, the director for our 2011 production of The Pirates of Penzance, decided that adding the original finale reprise of “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General” back into the operetta, as Joseph Papp had done, was an ideal way to help establish the couples at the end of the show, in a way that was not otherwise accomplished.

Gilbert had originally assigned the following lines to Ruth, the Pirate King, Mabel, and the Sergeant, followed by the Major General.  In his staging, Joseph Papp distributed the lines among more members of the cast.  Lesley assigned them to all nine of the principals.

In our 2011 production of The Pirates of Penzance, Kate was played by Molly Shields, Samuel by Joe Hendren, Edith by Victoria Valencour, The Pirate King by Waldyn Benbenek, Frederic by Eric Mellum, Mabel by Alice McGlave, Ruth by Therese Walth, Sergeant of Police by Christopher Michela and Major-General Stanley by Mather Dolph.

Kate:

At length we are provided, with unusual facility,

Samuel:

To change piratic crime for dignified respectability.

Edith:

Combined, I needn’t say, with the unparalleled felicity

Pirate King:

Of what we have been longing for – unbounded domesticity.

Frederic:

Tomorrow morning early, we shall quickly be personified –

Mabel:

Hymeneally coupled, conjugally matrimonified.

Ruth:

And this shall be accomplished by that Doctor of Divinity

Sergeant of Police:

Who happily resides in the immediate vicinity.

All:

Who happily resides in the immediate vicinity.
Who happily resides in the immediate vicinity.
Who happily resides in the immediate vicini-cini-ty.

Major-General:

My military knowledge, thought I’m plucky and adventury,
Has only been brought down to the beginning of the century.
But still, in getting off my daughters – eight or nine or ten in all,
I’ve shown myself the model of a modern Major-General!

All:

But still, in getting off his daughters – eight or nine or ten in all,
He’s shown himself the model of a modern Major-General!

Gary Briggle, the director for our 2022 production of The Pirates of Penzance, chose to add the entire original finale back into the operetta as a part of his production’s homage to the operetta’s New York City premiere. Not only did the entire original finale include the reprise of “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General,” but it also included a reprise of “Hail, Poetry” and a musical allusion to H.M.S. Pinafore. This restored original finale was then followed by a reprise of “Poor Wandering One.”

In addition, Mr. Briggle had Ruth leave the stage during the fight between the pirates and policemen, to return as a “deus ex machina” Queen Victoria. Whether the character was actually Queen Victoria or not was left somewhat ambiguous. It was in all the character’s best interests to treat her as if she were the Queen so everyone was very willing to play along.

In our 2022 production of The Pirates of Penzance, Major-General Stanley was played by Scott A. Gorman, Ruth / Queen Victoria by Lara Trujillo, The Pirate King by Waldyn Benbenek, Mabel by Anna Maher, Frederic by Seth Tychon Steidl, and the Sergeant of Police by Paul Nevin.

Major-General:

Away with them and place them at the bar!

Enter Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria:

One moment! let me tell you who they are.
They are no members of the common throng.
They are all noblemen who have gone wrong.

Major-General:

What all?

Pirates and Policemen:

Yes, all!

Major-General:

What all?

Pirate King:

Well, nearly all!

Pirates and Policemen:

Nearly all are noblemen gone wrong.
Then give three cheers, both loud and strong,
For the twenty noblemen who have gone wrong.
Then give three cheers, both loud and strong,
For the noblemen who have gone wrong.

Major-General:

No Englishman unmoved that statement hears,
Because, with all our faults, we love our House of Peers.

All:

Hail, ever hail, O House of Peers!
To wisdom that mankind reverse.
We listen with respectful ears,
For oh! We love our House of Peers!

Queen Victoria:

I hereby pardon thee, ex-Pirate King!
Peers will be peers, and youth will have its fling.
Resume your ranks and legislative duties,
But first do show us all your pirate booties!

At length we are provided, with unusual facility,
To change piratic crime for dignified respectability.

Pirate King:

Combined, I needn’t say, with the unparalleled felicity
Of what we have been longing for – unbounded domesticity.

Mabel:

Tomorrow morning early, we shall quickly be personified –

Frederic:

Hymeneally coupled, conjugally matrimonified.

Sergeant of Police:

And this shall be accomplished by that Doctor of Divinity
Who happily resides in the immediate vicinity.

All:

Who happily resides in the immediate vicinity.
Who happily resides in the immediate vicinity.
Who happily resides in the immediate vicini-cini-ty.

Major-General:

My military knowledge, though I’m plucky and adventury,
Has only been brought down to the beginning of the century.
But still, in getting off my daughters – eight or nine or ten in all,
I’ve shown myself the model of a modern Major-General!

All:

But still, in getting off his daughters – eight or nine or ten in all,
He’s shown himself the model of a modern Major-General!