Surely one of Melbourne’s all-time favourite musicals, The Pirates of Penzance roars again in this splendidly cast, joyously conceived staging.

Despite flourishing for almost 150 years, Gilbert and Sullivan classic The Pirates of Penzance is often seen as a work to be “fixed,” a particularly dire example of which was the wretched cut-and-paste 2025 Broadway effort Pirates! The Penzance Musical. 

This glorious revival of the wonderfully traditional 2006 Opera Australia production of The Pirates of Penzance is not just a gift to purists but also offers resounding proof that the work needs no “help” to be delightfully funny. Director Stuart Maunder and team celebrate the finely detailed libretto of W. S. Gilbert and allow the sumptuously melodic score of Arthur Sullivan to soar to the heavens unfettered by pointless gimmickry and outlandish performances.

Having remounted the production at State Opera of South Australia in 2023 and West Australian Opera in 2025, Maunder revives it afresh for Victorian Opera, where he is artistic director. Maunder’s expertise and insight are seen in the smallest of delicious details, illuminating and enhancing the work in every moment. A key aspect of the success of this revival is Maunder’s guiding hand in ensuring that every performer adopts a uniform playing style, resulting in a smoothly cohesive performance. 

The merry humour continues through the cheeky choreography, originally created by Victorian Opera CEO Elizabeth Hill-Copper and deftly restaged by Anna Tsirigotis. 

Maestro James Pratt conducts a hefty contingent of Orchestra Victoria giving a resplendent rendition of Sullivan’s much loved score. With just over 50 musicians in the pit, ornamental details ring forth in rarely heard quality.

The gorgeous design concept is that of a Victorian toy theatre, with two-dimensional hand-illustrated set pieces wheeled into place. Richard Roberts’ witty set design is a joy to behold, enhanced by surprise doorways and capped off by a fabulous pirate ship. Lighting designer Trudy Dalgleish provides sympathetic illumination for the old world style, along with electric lighting elegantly framing the proscenium. Costume designer Roger Kirk provides the loveliest of characterful period costumes.

Owning the role in the recent spate of revivals, Ben Mingay leads the cast as the vivacious Pirate King, projecting a hearty presence and singing with a warmly expressive bass-baritone. Antoinette Halloran imbues piratical maid-of-all-work Ruth with a devilish gleam, enhanced when Ruth returns in act two with a lively “glow up.”

As easy on the ears as on the eyes, tenor Nicholas Jones returns from Paris Opera to play a dashing incarnation of noble heartthrob Frederic. Emerging soprano Nina Korbe makes for a glorious Mabel, singing the pastiche ornamentals with bravura coloratura and rounding out the heroine with quirky humour. Strong individually, Jones and Korbe are sensational together, making truly beautiful music in duets such as “Ah, leave me not to pine” and “Oh, here is love, and here is truth.”

Veteran actor Richard Piper gamely takes to the musical theatre stage as the ever popular modern Major-General Stanley, handling the rapid lyrics with aplomb and readily capturing the twinkling humour of the role. Christopher Hillier neatly underplays the daffy comedy of the Sergeant of Police, singing the role with reliably rich tone and musical flair. 

The depth of talent is seen in the quality of featured soloists Douglas Kelly (Samuel), Rachael Joyce (Edith), Alessia Pintabona (Kate), and Syrah Torii (Isabel). A further 19 highly talented performers make up the ensemble, each invaluably contributing to the musical and comical quality on stage. 

Given Maunder’s skill and passion for Gilbert and Sullivan, it is strongly hoped that The Pirates of Penzance is just the first of several such works to be presented by Victorian Opera. 

The Pirates of Penzance plays at Palais Theatre, Melbourne until 6 February 2026. For tickets, click here.

The program for The Pirates of Penzance can be read online.

Photos: Jeff Busby