The Pirates of Penzance return to ENO in style

Last Updated on October 12, 2025

A revival of Mike Leigh’s operatic debut delights the English National Opera audience.

First premiering in 1879, The Pirates of Penzance is one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most enduring and beloved operettas, a delightful blend of sharp wit, memorable melodies, and whimsical storytelling. A staple of the operatic canon, The Pirates of Penzance tells the tale of Frederic, a dutiful young man mistakenly apprenticed to a band of soft-hearted pirates, and his romantic entanglement with the spirited Mabel, one of the many daughters of the eccentric Major-General Stanley. Like all G&S, it’s an operetta written in English, with a fast-moving and hilarious libretto packed with innuendo and wordplay.

Mike Leigh’s production of The Pirates of Penzance, with design by Alison Chitty, is a colourful and whimsical tribute to Victoriana with period costumes and a vibrant seaside setting. By contrast, the sets are semi-abstract in striking blues, greens and orange punctuated by the occasional painted seagull. It creates a strongly defined staging where the cast and detailed costumes become the focal point.

The show opens to a stunning yet simple ship with a motley crew of pirates led by the Pirate King, admirably played by John Savournin. Each pirate chorus member is brilliantly characterised – it’s a visual feast with fabulous detail.

Middle-class women of a certain age will empathise with Ruth, Frederick’s Nanny and now a ‘Piratical Maid of All Works’ who mistakenly signed him up to train as a pirate rather than as a pilot. Brilliantly performed by Gaynor Keeble, she was convincingly enamoured of her charge.

Frederick himself is played by William Morgan, a former Harewood Artist (ENO’s scheme for young singers). A clear lyrical tone, excellent projection and perfect diction made his first act aria compelling, while his acting and stage presence were impeccable.

Keeping things in-house, Mabel is played by Soprano Isabelle Peters, a current Harewood artist and 2022 Classic FM 30 under 30 rising star. A fabulous range with penetrating upper vocals and a mellifluous mid-range made her ‘Poor Wandering One’ a joy to listen to.

Who could fail to love Major-General Stanley as played by Richard Suart? Everyone’s favourite, he delivered his tongue-twisting ‘I am the Very Model of a Modern Major General’ at a pace, with clarity, expertise and perfect timing. At times, like others last night, his vocals were somewhat overwhelmed by the orchestra conducted by Natalie Murray Beale. Clear diction and enunciation made up for much of that, though.

The second act entrance of a troup of police, ably led by James Cresswell, is a comedic and charming moment. Last night, Cresswell delighted us with a rich bass and fabulous growling low notes that were ably mimicked by his team of Cornish constabulary.

The tale ends when we learn from Ruth that the Pirates of Penzance are in fact peers of the realm (no irony there!), at which point they are pardoned by the Major-General and married off to his entourage of daughters.

This production of The Pirates of Penzance is a joy, a pantomime of an opera that will keep the audience smiling and on the edge of their seats. The cast as a whole is superb, with the Chorus enthusiastically delivering some of the finest G&S with conviction. I left with only one regret: that the future of the ENO in London is still compromised.

The Pirates of Penzance runs from 2 December 2024 to 21 February 2025. Tickets are available from £10, and anyone under 21 can benefit from a free seat, while those aged 21-35 get a discount. Whether you are a lover of Gilbert and Sullivan already or not, do catch this quintessentially English production while you can.

English National Opera
London Coliseum
St Martin’s Lane
London WC2N 4ES

Looking for something different? You just have time to catch the final production of The Elixir of Love also from ENO at the London Coliseum

Our view of The Pirates of Penzance