I have not seen this DVD, but watched the PBS television broadcast. I really wanted to turn it off at the end of Act One, but the interval was short, so I stayed till the bitter end. Oh dear. I didn't mind the re-orchestration as much as the deliberate alteration of virtually every tempo indication and note value. In the amount of time it took the arranger to trash Sullivan's score, he could have written something of his own. By comparison, Gilbert's book and lyrics were relatively untouched, and it's worth noting that none of the "improvements" got as big laughs as the author's original jokes. Some of the performers are quite capable, and some viewers might enjoy this for what it is, but is is NOT Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore.
