Joyous and sparkling offering from Leamington drama group

FROM the moment the cast flood the stage wearing discreet yet visible microphones, it’s clear this may not be one for the Gilbert and Sullivan purist.

And that, generally, is a very good thing. For Spa Opera have crafted an affectionately irreverent and joyously playful production that remains true to the creators’ subversively anarchic sensibility. Stiff and mannered it isn’t.

It’s clear from the outset that everyone on stage is having fun. The performers achieve a sense of relaxation while retaining the fearsome discipline required to pull off material that’s as vocally and musically demanding as any you’ll hear at the Spa Centre. And they even manage to weave references to Liam Fox and Andrew Lloyd Webber into the libretto with considerable elan.

Chris Gilbey-Smith is winningly preening as leading man Frederic, Kenny Robinson is a charmingly unsubtle Pirate King and Claire Tyler’s vocal acrobatics as Mabel are both touching and comic. The chorus are endearingly characterful and the musicians are marshalled ably by Richard Taggart, whose interjections from the pit are among the show’s highlights.

The result is fresh and fun. And if you’re a G&S sceptic, prepare to be converted.

Verdict: Grand and sparkling

Peter Ormerod