Review: PANSEXUAL PREGNANT PIRACY, The Soho Theatre

Cam Harle

If you’re looking for an evening of lighthearted silliness with a saucy twist, then Pansexul Pregnant Piracy will tick all the boxes and more. This is the second time Airlock Theatre have brought a musical comedy to Soho Theatre Upstairs (in 2022 their show Lesbian Space Crime was nominated for two Off West End Awards), and the team is back with even more outlandish fun with a production loosely based on adventures of 18th Century pirate Anne Bonny.

Pansexual Pregnant Piracy adapts the story of Anne, who rejected traditional gender roles on land to find a new sense of self and adventure at sea. Anne (who then becomes ‘Manne’ to avert suspicion), joins a motley pirate crew headed up by Captain Calico Jack and inadvertently becomes his lover aboard the ship. However, when Mary Read (Elizabeth Chu) climbs aboard the ship, Anne finds herself in a love triangle which opens her eyes to sexual exploration and the bending of gender norms. Things take even more of a twist, when Anne becomes pregnant with Jack’s baby and the characters clash over the way Anne should live her life now that there will be a baby on board!

Rosanna Suppa’s portrayal of Anne Bonny is refreshingly raw and they skillfully navigate the outlandish script with slick comedic timing. The on-stage chemistry between the entire cast is what really brings the show together, particularly during a farcical scene where Anne receives sexual invitations from both Mary Read and Calico Jack, played by Eleanor Colville, and ends up blindfolding them both to avoid a chaotic revelation. Show Director and Cast member Robbie Taylor Hunt masterfully multi-roles as Anne Bonny’s husband, the Pirate Hunter, and most notably our favourite character; Ivanna the Parrot who openly tells the audience she’s vying for protagonist status throughout the show.

With a simplistic set, the cast is resourceful in how they use props to elevate the storyline whilst staying true to the production’s farcical nature. Two cut-out cardboard ships on sticks are puppetered to depict a cannonfire showdown between the crew and a rival pirate gang, although the battle is ultimately won by a dolphin brandishing a gun. The musical numbers are fun and well choreographed, although we couldn’t help losing some of the lyrics and likely miss pivotal lines under the heavy backing tracks.

The show’s format allows it to be a little underdeveloped and rough around the edges, although some scenes would have benefitted from being more well executed to allow the genius of the script to really shine through and resonate with the audience. Pansexul Pregnant Piracy is swashbuckling tongue-in-cheek fun, whilst still being relevant regarding queer culture and sexuality.

*** Three Stars

Reviewed by Chess Hayden

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