OBSERVER: Pirates of Penzance


Victorian Opera presents Gilbert and Sullivan’s famous comic operetta The Pirates of Penzance until February 6 at the Palais Theatre, St Kilda.
Ben Mingay (the Pirate King) and Antoinette Halloran (the long-suffering Ruth) lead the high-seas jinks, joined by theatre veteran Richard Piper as the Major General, and rising stars Nicholas Jones and Nina Korbe as Frederic and Mabel, and Christopher Hillier as the Sergeant of Police.
The cast is rounded out by a talented ensemble of emerging artists and features several current and former Victorian Opera scholarship recipients.
This includes 2026 Opera Prize winners Rachael Joyce, Bailey Mont-gomerie and Alessia Pintabona, as well as past winners Douglas Kelly and Syrah Torii.
The production is directed by Stuart Maunder and conducted by James Pratt. On the production, Maunder notes: “There is no theatrical phenomenon with more staying power than Gilbert and Sullivan productions. For generations of Australians, their first G and S experience in a theatre is iconic.”
Performance Details: Until February 6. Venue: Palais Theatre, St Kilda. Bookings: victorianopera.com.au
Cheryl Threadgold