Mikado

Once again Stewartby delighted us with it's performance of The Mikado.   Prue’s set was simple but effective.  Costumes were good, a mixture of traditional Japanese and Edwardian. Allan ensured some excellent singing. With a fourteen piece orchestra under his baton and no microphones, he performed his usual miracle of sound, blending voices and orchestra very well.

Charles Mills was a very melodic Nanki-Poo. Charles is blessed with a splendid voice and has had considerable stage experience, and it showed to very good effect in his performance. He was a first rate Nanki-Poo; this was a relaxed, comic and very attractive performance.  He was well matched with Charlotte Garraway’s Yum-Yum. Charlotte was entirely convincing as the bright energetic  Yum-Yum, and sang beautifully. I particularly liked ‘The Sun Whose Rays’ Charlotte also has a talent for comedy which matched Charles perfectly. The duet ‘Were you not to Ko-Ko plighted’ was delightful. Charlotte’s two companion maids, Lesley Thomas as Pitti-Sing and Amy Taylor as Peep-Bo added further energy. This threesome worked well together.  Lesley in particular added a sense of girlish naughtiness which contrasted very effectively with Poo-Bah’s self importance. Stephen Hoath as Ko-Ko brought much humour to the part and sang well.  The trio ‘Here's a how-de-do’ was musically good and delivered with excellent comic effect. This was a very watchable comic Ko-Ko. Linda Bowen’s Katisha was excellent; melodic and threatening. She made a very dramatic entrance and continued with a terrific performance. Peter Davis brought out the pomposity of Pooh-Bah with much humorous effect. This was another outstanding voice which added a deep richness to the blend of voices. Colin Jones was successfully cast as The Mikado and Pish-Tush.  Colin made an imposing Mikado delivering his solo with authority and humour. The chorus sang well. Allan had rehearsed them rigorously, the finale to Act One sounded particularly wonderful.

Prue enhanced this performance with modern touches of humour.  Movement on stage was good with effective groupings. Prue’s choreography was simple but inventive and humorous, in particular ‘The flowers that bloom in the Spring’ Prue and Allan ensured that the pace of the piece was good both musically and dramatically.  The result was the performance had energy and vitality.

Stewartby are to be congratulated on providing first rate musical entertainment.

Enid Cooper

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