IF YOU thought that traditional Gilbert and Sullivan shows were boring and stuffy, get ready to change your view.

Southampton Operatic Society's new and innovative production of The Grand Duke is an energetic, lively production.

The show, which is being performed at The Nuffield in Southampton until tomorrow, offers audiences a great opportunity to enjoy this rarely performed classic.

Director David Rayner has taken a leaf out of Mel Brooks's book and introduced a farcical dance routine involving goose-stepping Nazi stormtroopers.

He said: "Obviously, as an amateur production we do not have the resources to recreate the same sumptuous dance routines as audiences can see in the current West End production of The Producers but as a leading amateur operatic society in the region we bring enthusiasm and energy as well as skill and high performance and production standards to the piece."

The show has stormtroopers protecting the Grand Duke, a conspiracy, protected by the secret sign of a sausage roll, and the inventor of roulette who arrives at the end of the show with his sexy croupiers who he hopes will seduce the Grand Duke and his staff.

Southampton Operatic Society has just won the coveted Daily Echo Curtain Call Award for 'best opera' with their production last January of another Gilbert and Sullivan classic Iolanthe.

Mr Rayner added: "This production will enhance the society's reputation for putting on new and lively interpretations of Gilbert and Sullivan which will enthral and entertain not only traditional audiences but also a whole new swathe of theatre goers."