Winchester Musical Opera Society is set to perform an open-air production of HMS Pinafore in the surroundings of Winchester College between July 18-22. 

Set in the 1940s, a troupe of players are at a railway station trying to get to their next venue. All trains are cancelled so they perform on the platform, building the set and unpacking their costumes. The show they’re putting on is Gilbert and Sullivan favourite HMS Pinafore, a classic tale of star-crossed lovers kept apart by the divisions of class.

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Men are scarce due to the war, so some creative casting is required by the company’s director (played by Peter Barber), who is constantly frustrated by the cast’s insistence in updating the period piece with tunes from the day. 

Ralph (played by Amarantha Fennel-Wells) is a humble sailor aboard the HMS Pinafore and is in love with the captain’s (Connor Handstock) lovely daughter Josephine (Lisa Atkins). But Josephine is promised to the aristocratic Sir Joseph (David Tatnall).

This performance is in partnership with the Chesil Theatre, who will be performing the week before on the same stage with another nautically themed show, Treasure Island.

Tickets are available from their website chesiltheatre.org.uk.

Tickets for HMS Pinafore cost £16 and are available from wmos.org.uk.