Chock-a-block with wit, charm and a treasure chest of hits, Gilbert and Sullivan sail triumphantly back into Holland Park. This whimsical co-production of  The Pirates of Penzance with Charles Court Opera is on until 7 August.

Frederic can’t wait to turn 21. He never really wanted to be a pirate and sail the Cornish Main. But for now he’s caught between a marauding crew that lacks killer instinct, a squad of overly empathetic policemen, and a modern major-general’s bevy of purposeful daughters.

Director John Savournin and designer Rachel Szmukler set the action in a childlike world of wind-up tin soldiers and toy pirate ships, with lighting design by Jake Wiltshire and choreography by David Hulston. David Eaton conducts the City of London Sinfonia.

The cast includes Richard Burkhard (Major-General Stanley), John Savournin (The Pirate King), Peter Kirk (Frederic), Daisy Brown (Mabel), and Yvonne Howard (Ruth).

Tickets for The Pirates of Penzance are extremely limited, so we recommend joining our waiting list to hear about returns. Fill out this form to join the list.

All images were taken by Ali Wright.