‘Don’t expect a happy ending” is the message from the Oxford University G&S Society – a salutary reminder that The Yeomen of the Guard, which opens at the OFS Studio next week, is the only opera in the Savoy canon that doesn’t end with its characters happily paired off and dancing merrily into the sunset.

True, there is a still a liberal helping of Gilbertian wit, and many argue that Sullivan poured some of his finest melodies into this piece, but there is darkness too, emphasised by its grim setting within the Tower of London.

The conflict between humour and tragedy symbolises the tensions between Gilbert and Sullivan themselves at this stage; the former still wanting to indulge in “innocent merriment”, the latter still obsessing over his desire to write a grand opera.

So the stage is set for a dashing hero accused of sorcery, a daring plan to rescue him from the gallows at the 11th hour, a strolling jester and his maid, disguises and mistaken identities, and complicated love triangles.

Next week’s production follows a traditional path, but emphasises the opera’s gloomy outlook. “It’s not a show that’s going to do anything excitingly radical, like making Point or Wilfred gay, or moving the whole thing to 12th-century China,” said producer Matt Hosty. “We are playing up the ‘not a normal G&S’ angle – our posters have deliberately gone for a ‘forebodingly Gothic’ look.

“Sally Outen, our director, envisaged a simple, rather angular set – lots of hard lines and corners – but with warm, lush light washes, to try to suggest the opera’s combination of doom-laden stoic resolve and wistful romanticism.”

The show features a new arrangement of the score for a chamber orchestra by musical director, Chris Milton.

The Yeomen of the Guard is on from February 17-21at 7.30pm (2.30pm Saturday matinee). For tickets, call the OFS on 0844 844 0662, Ticketmaster on 0844 847 2360, or visit www.ofsstudio.org.uk.