By John Lyle Belden

Buck Creek Players are buccaneers with their fun production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance.”

Famous for its singing swashbucklers and songs like “Poor Wandering One” and the rapid-fire “I am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General,” the comic operetta found a great source for satire in the popular romantic stories of pirates (the Golden Age of Piracy being long over and passed into myth by the 1870s, when this was written). Arthur Sullivan (music) and W.S. Gilbert (libretto) also mocked serious opera by figures such as Verdi, and even their previous hit, “H.M.S. Pinafore.” Humor is also drawn from issues of British class and manners, as well as blind obedience to duty – however, in their cheeky fashion, there remained absolute devotion to Her Majesty, Queen Victoria.

The plot, which works in the opera’s own absurd world, centers on Frederic (Shederick Whipple) who finds his apprenticeship to the Pirate King (Casey Adams) at an end, or is it? His childhood nurse, Ruth (Lauren Laski) was supposed to sign him to a ship’s pilot, but had misunderstood the word; now, a revelation in the fine print could doom Frederic further. Meanwhile, this seashore hideaway has been discovered by the many female wards of Major-General Stanley (Daniel Draves), most notably Mabel (Devyn Kerr), who takes a shine to Frederic, who has repented his pirate life and now seeks to eradicate his former shipmates.

Directed by Georgie Teipen, the cast embraces the fun of this show – both in its inherent silliness and the kitsch of being a well-known century-plus old comedy. The sellout audience at our performance certainly picked up on it. It helps that aside from a lot of comic talent on the stage, there are genuine opera performers in Whipple, a tenor whose vast experience includes playing Frederic, and Kerr, a marvelous coloratura soprano who teaches voice at her alma mater, Franklin College. Laski is also wonderful in both voice and performance – and doesn’t look so “plain” once Ruth embraces the pirate life. Adams also excels, and we selfishly hope he won’t be going home to Idaho anytime soon. Draves plays the Major-General in fine form, signature song and all.

Among the cast of Pirates and Maidens, Christine Kruze and Jennifer J. Kaufmann get standout moments, as well as Scott Fleshood, leader of the chorus members (formerly pirates) who return as policemen.

All this comic energy for an unserious opera makes for a very entertaining outing to the Buck Creek Playhouse, 11150 Southeastern Ave. (Acton Road Exit of I-74), Indianapolis. Remaining performances are Friday through Sunday, Sept. 4-6. Get tickets at buckcreekplayers.com.