The Mikado

We knew from sitting in the auditorium that this was going to be a modern take with this production of The Mikado, I was sat alongside Tessa, NODA’s regional councillor and two seats away Andy Tyler from the Lynn News. The Tabs were open showing the setting as a modern Japanese railway station, the show started with an over long overture whilst a newsagent sat reading a newspaper. We did feel that this could have benefitted with some business being carried out, people walking around the station, buying papers, passengers stopping and chatting etc, a missed opportunity to give life to an empty stage, also the young lad could have been used more.

Gilbert and Sullivan give us the usual chorus of men, which although only nine, filled the stage. It was not long before we were introduced to Nanki-Poo, this was a well-played role by James Bowman who brought humour to the role, giving us good vocals and some excellent interaction with Yum-Yum, Ko-Ko and Poo-Bah. A Wandering Minstrel is such a well-known song and was well sung, the trombone added to the entertainment value of this number. James give us a good performance throughout, this was matched by Freya Morrish as Yum-Yum with very good vocals. These two were well suited and interacted well in what seemed a livelier Act Two, we felt that the second act had more life and entertainment value than Act One. There was the usual principal role for Andy Hiles playing Pish-Tish as solid as always. We had a very entertaining performance throughout from Piers Westlake as Poo-Bah (Lord High Everything Else). Peter Walters gave us a good performance as The Mikado once he got into his stride, however all these actors were outshone by Anil Chakrabarti as Ko-Ko. Anil is a remarkably energetic and mobile performer on stage with great actions and facial expressions as well as having a good singing voice, remarkably clear and melodic. It is worth the ticket price just to see his performance. His ‘I’ve got a little list’ was greatly enjoyed by the audience, especially for its topicality. I also enjoyed ‘On a tree by a river’ commonly known as ‘Tit Willow’.

For the female members of the cast we had a small but select band in the chorus who gave us good performances, whether they were schoolgirls or ladies of the town, led by Three Little Maids, as already mentioned Freya Moorish as Yum-Yum together with Judith Semmons as Pitti-Sing and Emma Blackall as Peep-Bo. They gave us a good rendition of the iconic ‘Three Little Maids from School are we’ accompanied by the female chorus. Judith also gave us some good numbers with fellow cast members including ‘The Criminal cried as he dropped him down’ and ‘The flowers that bloom in the Spring’. The elderly Katisha with whom Nanki-Poo was betrothed was wickedly portrayed by Julie Bjerregaard, she always gives good vocals and enjoyed the role of deceived, rejected bride giving us a good ‘Alone and yet Alive’, Together with Anil, they gave us an entertaining and humorous scene in ‘There is Beauty in the Bellow of the Beast’.

There was a good 8-piece orchestra under the baton of Rachel, singing was generally good although it seemed a little downbeat in the first act, much better in the second act, sound occasionally was a little soft, with a couple of fluffed lines. Lighting was appropriate and sets were generally simple and effective also including the sight of a Bullet Train arriving at the station of Titipu. Good Japanese signage and a working clock!

Being modern dress there was not the problem of ill-fitting costumes as there has occasionally been in the past, the male chorus smartly dressed in suits with furled umbrellas. Pooh-Bah smartly attired in Morning Dress, and a very military dressed and decorated Mikado. The school girls and three little maids were suitably attired in school uniform, there was smart toweling robes with sashes and Beauty Parlour uniforms for the female chorus in the opening of Act two with good props and accessories, a well-received production. I understand the Saturday matinee has sold out so well done to cast and crew, Rachel and first-time director Sharon Cutworth.

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