You’ve got to admire the British and their ability to poke fun at themselves. Case in point - Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic operetta “Patience,”

The musical, which runs through Sunday in Mendelssohn Theatre courtesy the University of Michigan Gilbert & Sullivan Society, focuses on the obsession of the English and the aesthetic / poetic movement at the time it was written, in the late 1800s. It was laugh-out-loud funny Thursday night to watch rival poets Bunthorne (Richard Harper) and Grosvenor (Robby Griswold) try to grandly out-aesthetic each other, and a hoot to see the swooning young ladies of the village - poet groupies all - traipse around behind whichever one of the poets happened to be available.

Pity the dragoon guards, led by Colonel Calverly (G&S stalwart David Andrews who, with his muttonchops, looked remarkably like old William S. Gilbert himself). They simply couldn’t comprehend why the ladies would prefer effete poets over manly soldiers. One of the show’s funniest scenes came when the hapless colonel and two of his dragoons tried aesthetic behavior on for size (“you hold yourself like this, you hold yourself like that”), gamely striking all sorts of mannered and outlandish poses. And pity poor Patience (Samantha Winter), the village milkmaid, who has little use for poetry and even less use for love, yet she is surrounded by it.

All in all, this was a splendid production of one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s lesser-known works. The orchestra was note-perfect, and the cast carried this bit of lighthearted theatrical fluff with panache.

The show is directed by Diana Colleen Herstein; music director is Avlana Eisenberg. Other key cast members include Tanya Roberts (Lady Ella), Stephanie Rose (Lady Jane) and Ali Kahn (Lady Saphir).

The patter song “If you want a receipt for that popular mystery” (some productions update the tune with current references but this one did not) was navigated with ease by Andrews, while the soprano aria “Love is a plaintive song,” sung by Winter, was beautifully delivered.

Rose made an outstanding Lady Jane, mixing a flair for the dramatic with a truly lovely voice, especially on “Sad is that woman’s lot.” Whenever Grosvenor and Bunthorne were on the stage, they owned it, gleefully chewing up the scenery with their grand flourishes and gestures. The more absurd they were, the funnier they became.

Most Gilbert & Sullivan shows are upbeat and “Patience” seemed even more so. Uplifted by all the fun and frivolity, I left the theater unable to get the maddeningly catchy music out of my head, which was probably G&S’s twisted plan all along.

Meanwhile, mark your calendars: UMGASS’ spring production of “The Gondoliers” is set for April 1-4.

‘Patience” continues Friday at 8 p.m., 2 & 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday at Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, 911 North University Ave. Tickets ($20) are available at the door one hour before each performance at the Mendelssohn box office. Order by phone at 800-838-3006. Details: 734-647-8436

Roger LeLievre is a freelance writer who covers music for AnnArbor.com