H.M.S. Pinafore Dropped Anchor at The Reader, Liverpool – 21 August 2025

The plot of this much-loved Gilbert and Sullivan tale revolves around two romances thwarted by class divisions. The first—and more central—pair is Josephine, daughter of Captain Corcoran, and Ralph Rackstraw, a lower-class member of the Pinafore crew. Besides the gulf in status, their relationship faces an extra hurdle: Corcoran has promised Josephine’s hand to Sir Joseph Porter, who has had a rapid rise to become First Lord of the Admiralty despite being an abject landlubber.

An elopement might solve that problem, but there seems to be less hope for the second potential pairing: Captain Corcoran himself and Little Buttercup, proprietor of a kind of floating corner-shop-cum-chandlery.

Whether or not these romances succeed is almost beside the point, given the sheer amount of fun, farce, and absurdity along the way. Even as someone who’s been impressed by several of Illyria’s previous shows, I was still hugely impressed by the sheer quality on display here.

I’ll admit I’m something of an agnostic when it comes to musicals—if it isn’t Hamilton or West Side Story, it’s probably not for me; but I’d defy anyone in the same boat (so to speak) not to be won over by this one (and yes, I know it’s technically a comic opera rather than a musical, though I couldn’t really tell you why).

This is a tight, fast-paced, and thoroughly engaging show with wonderfully drawn larger-than-life characters and lashings of humour. The only time I wasn’t either smiling or laughing for the first hour or so was during the interval, and even then I was humming the tunes. If anything, the level of laughter was even higher in the second act than in the first.

All the usual Illyria trademarks are here: high energy, bold characterisation, actors switching between multiple roles with ease, clever use of sets and costumes, and a generous helping of physical and visual gags. Add to that some truly fine music, and you’ve got a real winner.

The casting is impeccable, as is the singing. I’d half expected there to be one or two star voices, with others providing support rather than taking turns in the limelight; I’m happy to report I was proven entirely wrong. 

The direction, choreography and musical arrangements all hit the sweet-spot of achieving true technical excellence while never losing sight of the primary goal of the whole enterprise: to entertain.

All of which makes the task of reviewing Illyria’s H.M.S. Pinafore as easy as it is enjoyable: rather than having to differentiate between whose contributions worked and whose didn’t, I can simply reproduce the entire list of cast and crew (see below).

Gilbert and Sullivan’s influence stretches far and wide, touching everyone from Lin-Manuel Miranda to Noël Coward, P.G. Wodehouse, the Gershwins—and even the Muppets. Popular entertainment on both sides of the Atlantic would look very different without the blueprints laid by this duo. Even if you think you don’t know their work, you’ve likely encountered much of it filtered through the lenses of The Two Ronnies, The Simpsons, The West Wing, Blackadder, or even Monty Python.

If you’ve ever wondered why Gilbert and Sullivan remain so influential—or if you simply want to be thoroughly and completely entertained—I can give no better advice than this: go and see this touring production wherever you can. It’s one of the finest pieces of ensemble theatre you’ll ever see.

Cast (in multiple roles):

Sir Jospeh Porter         Nicola Rainford

Captain Corcoran        Christopher Laishley

Dick Deadeye            Seonaid Stevenson

Buttercup                 Daisy Dewey

Josephine                 Megan Ashley

Ralph Rackstraw         Ben J Packer

Crew:

Director                   Kim Healey

Assistant Director        Oliver Gray

Musical Director         Richard Healey

Producer                  Stephen Badham

Choreographer           Kim Healey

Set Design & Build      Jill Wilson, Al Carter

Costume                  Pat Farmer

Production Assistant     Lauren Birchmore 

Poster design             Frazer Marr