In pictures: Cambridge University Gilbert and Sullivan Society puts on a swashbuckling performance of The Pirates of Penzance

Swashbuckling adventure was on offer as the Cambridge University Gilbert and Sullivan Society brought the sunny Cornish cliffs to the West Road Concert Hall.

Its members performed The Pirates of Penzance, one of the most famous and best-loved comic operas, from February 9-11.

It tells a story of love, duty, dashing pirates, cowardly policemen and paradoxes, with signature music performed with a full orchestra.

Director James Rosser said: “We started the rehearsal process with some movement direction workshops fantastically led by Ella Palmer.

“These allowed the cast to experiment very freely with their characters, how they move, how they speak and how they interact with each other. It’s been so exciting to see the cast spontaneously react in character to what’s happening around them; it injects so much raw energy into the show.”

He praised “incredible choreographer” Anna Sanderson for her work “to integrate character into all the choreography”, blending it seamlessly with the action of the show, which the society opted to remove from its usual Victoria setting.

“I love shows within a show, and setting the show in the modern era, but within a context where the characters dress up and behave like in a traditional pirates feels to me like it maximises creative opportunities,” said James.

“By shaking things up even a little bit, everyone’s brains start working on the problem of how to fit the lines into the new context. This engages the cast with the show, generates tons of hilarious ideas and hopefully gives the audience lots of interesting details to engage with as well.”

The show also featured a very ambitious set, expertly designed by Tom Unwin.

James described the scale of the transforming pirate ship as “truly incredible”.