Themes

The Navy's People

• Naval Lives

• In Focus: Women in the Navy

• In Focus: Recreation and Time off

  • Personal Time

  • Living Conditions

  • Sports

  • Crossing the Line across the century

  • Parties onboard

  • NAAFI

• In Focus: Discipline and Punishment

Learning

• How To: Understand Naval Medals

Parties onboard

Article highlights

• Entertainment at sea

• Concert parties

• 'Sods Opera'

• ENSA

'Sods Opera'

Although starting off as a rather raucous, spontaneous, unorganised sing along, Sods Operas have developed into a rather raucous slightly organised all-ship production.

Crew members of HMS Invincible in SODS Opera, May 1980 (RNM)

Sods Operas have replaced concert parties as shipboard entertainment in today's navy.

When the Navy went ashore in uniform or together as part of a messdeck, an impromptu Sods opera may well be started in a public house or working men's club, after the beer had flowed freely and oiled the vocal chords.

The type of songs would be from a wide spectrum depending upon the repertoire of the leaders.