Hot Mikado

I like going to this small theatre, it has a great atmosphere and demands simple settings which is exactly what Shenfield Operatic achieved for this production.  Director Louise Byrne captured the essence of the script and the company worked well to make her vision a reality.

The cast were all very strong with some notable performances by many of the Principals.  Jack Lloyd gave a very good performance as Nanki Poo, he has a lovely voice and this was a nicely judged performance.  Liberty Watts (Yum-Yum) was delightful, a perfectly judged performance and a beautiful voice.  Together with Kate Smith as Pitti-Sing and Rachel Watson as Peep-Bo, they made an excellent trio with great performances from all three.

Jamie Fudge (Pish-Tush) and Kerry Cooke (Katisha) gave great performances but the outstanding performance, for me, was Allister Smith as Ko-Ko.  This was truly a masterclass in a comedy character, never once did it fall over the brink (something that can happen with actors playing this role).  He had the audience with him from the very beginning and he created a conspiracy with the audience that was an absolute delight to watch.  This is such a change from some of the parts that Allister has played in the recent past and served to re-enforce his undoubted talents as a performer.  Ian Johnson (The Mikado) completed the line-up of Principals.

The ensemble was excellent, there were some lovely performances within the company and the singing was outstanding.

As I have already said, the scenery was simple but very effective and the men’s costumes were all fine and appropriate to the period.  I was not too sure about the ladies’ costumes though.  The style seemed at odds with the period and was not particularly flattering for some of the ladies.  Such a shame because 40’s style floral dresses are easy to acquire and would have been much more flattering to many of the ladies.  I didn’t really see the purpose of them all being in the same style anyway.

The band, under the direction of MD Ian Southgate, was good, perfectly balanced and supporting the singing.  Lighting and sound were fine, I note that there were quite a few mics being used.  Traditionally G & S performances are not mic’d but I agree that they were right for this production.

Overall, a most entertaining evening, thank you to Shenfield for your hospitality.

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