MY first experience of G&S was when I was taken, aged about ten, by my parents to see a local amateur operatic group.

I thought then what a jolly lot they were and the cheerful music has been with me ever since. All the performances since have been similar – the cast having a good time, never mind the audience.

The Theatre Royal refers to this operetta as ‘a musical delight’ and so it is. With rip-roaring gusto the Carl Rosa Opera play with enthusiasm.

Set in 1805 this was, at the time written, by far the longest running of any of any of the Savoy Operas. HMS Pinafore was written with Gilbert’s usual flare for both satire of the British class system and mistaken identity. Babies mistakenly swapped at a tender age later fall in love and the outlandish thought that a captain’s daughter, Josephine, could marry an ordinary seaman cannot even be contemplated.

The entire cast sang their way with authority and though in the first act the captain seemed to have a little more character, the admiral (along with his sisters and his cousins and his aunts) brought a bit more frivolity to the stage.

The second act seemed to quicken its pace, with the story moving along more robustly and bringing more personality to the characters.

It would be hard to pick anyone out as the outstanding performer, voices were rich and resounding. The seamen’s routines were feet-perfect while the ladies were just that. The cast, with a wealth of experience behind them, were supported by an excellent orchestra under the leadership of Timothy Henty. I suppose we should have expected nothing less than we got, a thoroughly good evening.