More piratical playfulness with Tony.

After having thoroughly enjoyed our recent foray into the world of theatre to see Tony star in Peter Pan, we couldn't resist the chance to see him don more silly hats and outrageous boots to play the Pirate King in Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance.

This new show has the confident, cheeky swagger of a cast on top form. Director Steven Dexter takes his cue from the fact that the opera's unofficial premiere in 1879 took place (for copyright reasons) in Paignton, Devon, before its official launch in New York the next day.

End-of-pier imagery is rife, with colourful posters, distorting mirrors and ecclesiastical automata performing wedding vows. The setting allows for some amusingly Vaudevillian staging too, A routine involving Tony, a spare jacket and the loan of Kathryn Evans' legs almost brought the house down!

Sharing props and gadgetry with Peter Pan also pays dividends, from flying ghosts to a spoof wirework sequence where Tony performs stunt moves that might have impressed even Buffy.

It's odd but engaging to see the Peter Pan cast adopting new roles so soon after their trip to Neverland. Some emerge from the chorus to take centre stage, whilst others adopt more modest parts than before. Elin Wyn Lewis, making her professional debut, shines as Mabel - her voice is certainly the most operatically elegant of the cast, and is used to great effect.

Jack Chissick is indeed the model of a modern Major-General, whilst his daughters spend most of their time in Victorian underwear. We saw a bit of ankle at one point, and were quite overcome.

David Burt turns A Policeman's Lot is Not a Happy One into something of a karaoke romp, whilst Hadley Fraser is a sympathetic Frederic, bound by duty to honour his pirate vows, even if it costs him his true love.

The Pirates of Penzance continues in rep with Peter Pan at the Savoy Theatre until 20th March. More details can be found at producer Raymond Gubbay's website.

Click the link to the right to see Tony and co. in all their pirate glory. Pictures by Nigel Norrington.