Sydney’s legal elite traded courtroom advocacy for operatic arias last Friday night, proving that theatrical ambition runs deep within the New South Wales bar. The Banco court of the NSW Supreme Court was converted into a stage for the Bench and Bar Choir’s latest production, a localized, patriotic adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic maritime comedy, HMS Pinafore, re-titled HMAS Pinafore.
A Star-Studded Front Row
The sell-out performance attracted the upper echelons of the Australian judiciary and senior bar. The audience in the ceremonial courtroom included:
Chief Justice Stephen Gageler of the High Court of Australia (pictured, left)
Chief Justice Andrew Bell of the NSW Supreme Court
Governor Margaret Beazley of New South Wales
Perry Herzfeld SC, currently leading the challenge against the federal social media ban
The Emmett Judicial Dynasty, represented by Arthur Emmett (formerly of the Federal Court) and James Emmett (NSW Supreme Court)
Justice Anna Mitchelmore of the Court of Appeal
Misleading and Deceptive Runtimes
While promotional materials promised a swift one-hour performance, director and barrister Vicki Hartstein (above4) corrected the record before the opening notes.
Hartstein informed the hungry audience that the actual runtime would extend to two hours plus a twenty-minute intermission.
Catering also departed from the high culinary standards usually associated with the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Bell. Attendees adjusted to an alcohol-free intermission without the traditional selection of canapes.
Legal Stars Show Off Operatic Range
The production featured prominent commercial and criminal law figures in leading roles. Catherine Kelso, (pictured) a disputes partner at Gilbert + Tobin known for her representation of high-profile corporate clients, performed as Josephine, the captain’s daughter. Her romantic interest was played by Raphael Hudson of Frederick Jordan Chambers, whose classical tenor training provided the musical backbone of the evening.
“Of legal knowledge I acquired such a grip that they took me in to the partnership. That junior partnership I ween was the only ship that I ever had seen.”
The standout performance came from barrister Greg Johnson, who portrayed the Admiral as a contemporary Canberra politician named Joseph Porter AC MP. Johnson engaged directly with the front row, distributing miniature Australian flags to the dignitaries and addressing Governor Beazley.
Judicial Satire
The production did not shy away from insider legal politics. Johnson’s main aria included updated lyrics targeting the College of Law, singing that his training there directly enabled his rise to command the navy. The joke landed well with Chief Justice Bell, who has publicly campaigned against the professional training body regarding its fee structures and standards.
The ensemble cast was bolstered by other notable legal figures, including former judges Anna Katzmann and Richard White, alongside former Human Rights Commissioner Ros Croucher, who performed the role of Little Buttercup.
