HMS Pinafore Synopsis & Characters
You join us on board HMS Pinafore anchored in Portsmouth. As the curtain opens, the sailors mop the deck until Mrs Cripps (Little Buttercup) enters. Ever popular with the sailors, she has come to sell them trinkets but is shocked when she spots one of the handsome young crewmen. The young seaman, Ralph Rackstraw sings of his love of the captain's daughter but that she is too far above him in his station of life and he ends up being consoled by the bosun and crew however, with little sympathy from Dick Deadeye (a very unpopular and rather ugly sailor). Captain Corcoran, a gallant commander well-loved by his crew, comes on deck and is joined by his daughter Josephine who is promised in marriage to Sir Joseph Porter KCB, First Lord of the Admiralty. She tells her father of her love for a common seaman but that she respects her father and will do her duty. Sir Joseph arrives, (accompanied by a bevy of sisters, cousins and aunts) and tells of his meteoric rise from office boy to Ruler of the Queen's Navy. Josephine and Ralph Rackstraw meet and he confesses his love for her only to be spurned due to his lowly position. The first act closes with Ralph in the depths of despondency about to take his own life when Josephine confesses her love for him. There is much rejoicing except by Dick Deadeye who ends up overboard!
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In act two, Captain Corcoran sings mournfully that his daughter loves a common sailor and that this threatens his standing and future. Little Buttercup hints that "Things Are Seldom What They Seem" leaving the captain intrigued. Josephine sings of how her guilty heart is quaking and appeals to the Gods of Love and Reason to help her decide whether to follow her heart or her duty. Sir Joseph confronts Josephine thinking that her lack of excitement at the prospect of marriage is due to his exalted station and informs her that love levels all ranks. Sir Joseph, the captain and Josephine share a bottle of champagne to celebrate; the captain and Sir Joseph are delighted believing that Josephine will follow their plan and Josephine is delighted because by saying that "love levels all ranks" Sir Joseph has made her love for Ralph possible. Josephine and Ralph, with the crew in support, steal ashore to marry but are betrayed by the treacherous Dick Deadeye. The captain accosts his daughter and Ralph before the bosun praises Ralph's qualities as en Englishman (rather than being French or Prussian!). Sir Joseph learns of Josephine and Ralph's love and sends the young seaman to the dungeon. Little Buttercup then reveals a secret that changes everything, allowing love to flourish between our various characters; even Sir Joseph ends up with a fiancee. Much rejoicing follows!
Captain Corcoran
The captain of HMS Pinafore; a gallant officer much loved by his crew. He is well-born (or is he?), but admires the rosy Mrs Cripps (Little Buttercup) who is somewhat beneath his station in life. His delightful daughter Josephine is promised in marriage to Sir Joseph Porter KCB, the First Lord of the Admiralty.
Josephine
Captain Corocoran's young daughter betrothed to Sir Joseph Porter but in love with a common seaman. She is torn between duty and the heart - which will win?
Ralph Rackstraw
An eloquent / verbose foremast hand on HMS Pinafore who has fallen for the Captain's daughter. Can love between the low and high born flourish?
Sir Joseph Porter KCB First Lord of the Admiralty.
Started his career as a lowly office boy and somehow worked his way up the ladder to become an MP and then First Lord of the Admiralty. He has very liberal pretensions and believes that love levels all ranks, although as he says, there is a limit. Always accompanied by a bevy of admiring sister, cousins and aunts he is hoping to marry the captain's daughter (even though she is considerably beneath him socially).
Cousin Hebe.
One of the bevy of admiring female relatives that accompany Sir Joseph wherever he goes. Clearly has an eye for Sir Joseph and forever butting in.
​Cousin Hebe's rival for Sir Joseph's attention (after the delightful Josephine of course) is Cousin Phoebe, a somewhat younger relative who clearly finds her older cousin quite annoying - not sure why!
Dick Deadeye
The worst (and least attractive) sailor in the fleet. Unliked by his fellow crewmen, he tries to thwart the love of Josephine and Ralph by telling the captain of their plans. Ends up in the water on several occasions.
Mrs Cripps (Little Buttercup)
Buttercup is much admired by the crew of HMS Pinafore and especially by the captain although he is concerned that she is below his social rank. However, little Buttercup is more than the rosy lady loved by all and has a mysterious background including a secret that could change the whole course of events for many of the characters.
Bill Bobstay, the bosun
The bosun is a Royal Navy veteran with a heart of oak. He leads the crew and only needs to whistle and they run to their duties. A fervently patriotic fellow, he will look up to anyone if they are an Englishman; especially when you consider that they could have been French or Prussian.
Bob Beckett, the ship's carpenter
A stout yeoman of a fellow, Bob joins the Bosun, Tom and Ralph in singing Sir Joseph's song although not necessarily the right words at the right time!
Tom Tucker
Tom is the youngest member of the crew and often seen on the shoulders of the bigger crewmen.