The Pirate Queen

The Pirate Queen is an epic musical adventure from the writers of Les Misérables and Miss Saigon, celebrating the legendary Irish chieftain Grace O’Malley.

Disguised as a cabin boy to stow away on her father’s ship, Grace starts a lifetime of fighting traditional expectations of women and standing up for what she believes in. Ultimately, she must seek to make peace between the Irish clans and another powerful female ruler in Queen Elizabeth I of England – while deciding what personal sacrifices she will make for her country.

The Pirate Queen is based on the real life of Gráinne Ní Mháille, anglicised as Grace O’Malley, and mixes romance, sword fighting, politics and piracy in a thrilling story packed with stirring songs from renowned musical theatre writers Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil.

With Irish music and dance woven throughout, The Pirate Queen asks how far you would go to protect what you love and explores what it is to be trapped by society’s beliefs about gender, culture and tradition.

This is the second time Sedos has had an opportunity to tour a show to the Minack Theatre in Porthcurno, Cornwall. The Minack is one of the most beautiful open-air theatres in the world and we’ll be looking for a big, diverse cast to share this exciting experience. Auditions will be held in February and the full audition notice will be released in due course. Email piratequeen@sedos.co.uk if you’d like to be sent the audition notice once it’s available.

Director Katie Porter said: "It’s always exciting to see shows where women are in positions of power and have struggled to overcome the limitations placed on them by society. As an Irish woman, it is doubly exciting to have a show steeped in Irish history and culture.

"The Pirate Queen focuses on Gráinne's (Grace’s) journey against the oppression of the patriarchy and the English conquest of Ireland. Women still struggle against similar expectations today, and I find it refreshing to have a female protagonist and antagonist.

"Set in the reign of Elizabeth I, the show explicitly explores the impacts of colonial rule in Ireland, offering audiences a different perspective to the British Imperialism that is generally taught within the UK. As the western world begins to unpick their own history of colonisation, I feel it’s an important time to hear the stories of resistance and perseverance.

"While Gráinne’s skill with a sword is highly praised, The Pirate Queen also highlights her political savvy – she will do whatever she can to protect her clan and preserve Irish traditions. I’m hoping to pick up that torch in bringing Irish culture and tradition to the Cornwall coast as we remember Grace O’Malley’s story."

Content warnings: The show includes themes of death, violence and misogyny.

The Pirate Queen plays at the Minack Theatre, Cornwall, from 30 June-3 July 2025. Tickets will go on sale in February.

By kind permission of Bouberg Productions Limited, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg and by arrangement with Music Theatre International

Sedos proudly presents
Boublil and Schönberg’s The Pirate Queen

Book by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg and Richard Maltby Jr.
Based upon the book Grania – She King of the Irish Seas by Morgan Llywelyn
Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg
Lyrics by Alain Boublil, Richard Maltby Jr. and John Dempsey
Orchestrations by Julian Kelly

This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International. All authorised performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.co.uk