The Pirates of Penzance
Batten down the hatches. Strike the colours. The pirates are back. The ENO’s smash-hit production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s swashbuckling farce returns shortly – and is set to get audiences toe-tapping along all over again.
With its splendidly silly storyline, wild wordplay and well-loved songs, this Mike Leigh-created production is irresistibly feel-good. An apprentice pirate woos the Major General’s daughter, while his bungling buccaneer-shipmates try to outwit an equally inept party of policemen. Its vibrant staging brings out the sunshine in the story.
The Pirates of Penzance is one of Gilbert & Sullivan’s most popular operas and contains some of their most memorable melodies. These include ‘I am the Very Model of a Modern Major General’, ‘A Policeman’s Lot is Not a Happy One’ and ‘With Cat-like Tread’.
This revival is directed by Sarah Tipple and conducted by Natalie Murray Beale. G&S favourites and ENO regulars Richard Suart and John Savournin are the Major General and the Pirate King respectively. Meanwhile, ENO Harewood Artist Isabelle Peters sings the role of Mabel, and former Harewood artist William Morgan is Frederic.
Co-production with Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg and the Saarländische Staatstheater Saarbrücken.
Assisted performance
BSL signed: Saturday 8 February 2025 at 2.30pm
Relaxed performance: Thursday 30 January 2025, 1pm
Important Information
Sung in English, with subtitles projected above the stageAge Restrictions
Ages 5+.Performance Times
Now taking bookings for performances from Mon 2nd December 2024 until Fri 21st February 2025.
Show times for each day are below.
Mon
7.00pm
Tue
-
Wed
7.00pm
Thu
-
Fri
7.00pm
Sat
1.00pm
Sun
-
London Coliseum Details
Bus routes: St. Martin's Lane 24, 29, 176 / 6, 9, 11, 13, 15, 23, 87, 91, 139
Night buses: St. Martin's Lane 24, 176, N5, N20, N29, N41, N279 / 6, 23, 139, N9, N15, N11, N13, N21, N26, N44, N47, N87, N89, N91, N155, N343, N551
Nearest rail: Charing Cross
Tube lines: Piccadilly, Northern
Nearest tube: Leicester Square
Directions
from Leicester Square :
(3mins) Take Cranbourn Street until St Martin’s Lane, where you head right until you reach the theatre.
Car park: Q-Park: Chinatown (5mins) / Other: St Martin's Lane Hotel (1min)
In congestion zone?: Yes
Facilities at London Coliseum
Air conditioned
Bar
Disabled toilets
Infrared hearing loop
Toilets
Wheelchair accessible
London Coliseum Location
Please note: The location shown on the map is an approximate location of the theatre. In the majority of cases the theatre will be marked on the map so please make sure you locate the exact location yourself. If the theatre is not shown on the map please make sure you locate the correct road name and take account of the directions.
The Pirates of Penzance
London Coliseum, London
Running until: Fri 21st February 2025
Running time: 2hr 15min. Incl 1 interval.