British politics meet "Midsummer Night's Dream" in "Iolanthe," the popular Gilbert & Sullivan comic opera opening July 13 at the Bagley Wright Theatre in Seattle.

This is, of course, not the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society's first go-round with "Iolanthe." This G-rated, satirical romance about wonderland fairies and half-fairies in a dust-up with a dithering House of Lords has been presented by the troupe on five previous occasions, going back to 1957 and as recently as 1997.

The show debuted in London in 1882 to general acclaim and is also known by its alternate title: "The Prince and the Peri."

The Seattle troupe's current version, with a cast of 40 and a 27-member orchestra, runs through July 28. Tickets are $16-$40 (800-838-3006 or www.brownpapertickets.com). More details: www.pattersong.org.

Shown here are Dave Ross, left, Alyce Rogers, Miranda Troutt and Annette Dennis in "Iolanthe."

Misha Berson, Seattle Times theater critic

Information in this article, originally published July 6, 2012, was corrected July 6, 2012. A previous version of this story listed the "Iolanthe" orchestra as having two members, not 27.