|
|
|
|
|
The Mikado
The National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera CompanyMalvern Theatres.
*****
YUM-Yum has a real dilemma: do you opt to marry the man you love if you
are to be buried alive a month later? Gilbert
and Sullivan invariably transports us briefly into an unreal world where
romance comes into conflict with gruesome threats, all spiced with
lively and varied melodies and good humour! It’s all
good escapist entertainment for a devoted and enthusiastic audience! The world
of ‘The Mikado’ is Japan. The son of the emperor, the Mikado, is in love
with Yum Yum, the ward of Ko-Ko, who was formerly a lowly tailor guilty
of the capital offence of flirting, but is now exalted to the office of
Lord High Executioner of Titipu. He is
however unlikely to chop his own head off, so the prospect of a gruesome
decapitation seems remote enough. We can all relax. However he intends
to marry Yum-Yum himself, and Katisha, a monster of the royal court
intends to marry the son of the Mikado herself, so the young lovers face
two horrendous obstacles! Gilbert and Sullivan operettas give us a fairly standard and predictable set of elements, dramatically and musically. What brings a particularly enjoyable dimension to the shows are the innovative adaptations to the script. Ko-Ko has
a wonderful song where he adds to his ‘list’ a number of those who would
not be missed if they were executed: it provide The show
offers us a lovely visual spectacle. The set is uncomplicated but
impressive and the adjustment between the Acts is pleasing. It is
accentuated by a brilliant lighting plot that makes very effective use
of patterns, colour and silhouettes. The costumes were for the most part
excellent, though the women’s gowns were not the most flattering. The
show with its Japanese flavour is pleasing on the eye. The key to
Gilbert and Sullivan however is in the music and the melodies with the
humorous diction and rhymes. The orchestra was conducted with great
energy by James Hendry, and produced a lovely variety of moods: the
light and tripping melodies and the quieter gentle passages were played
with particular expression and charm. The voices are generally
excellent: Claire Lees as Yum-Yum has a very strong voice, Donald
Maxwell as the Mikado has a wonderful bass voice that resonates
powerfully, Bruce Graham as Pooh-Bah, Amy Payne as Katisha, and Robin
Bailey as Nanki-Poo all sing very well too. There are
of course many wonderful songs but the Madrigal sung by Yum-Yum, Pitti-Sing,
Nanki-Poo and Go-To had a particularly lovely balance and variation in
tone and mood. For comic value, the song ‘Trio’ by Yum-Yum, Nanki-Poo
and Ko-Ko was hugely enjoyable with accelerating repeats. However
the acting ‘Oscar’ has to go to Richard Gauntlett as Ko-Ko. He brings a
huge amount of character and comedy to his portrayal, and it is the
element that is most delightful in this generally satisfying and solidly
professional production. His timing, use of comic gesture, his dancing,
all contributed to a wonderful performance that caught the eye
throughout the evening. When he was on stage the show had added comic
value and electricity. This is
one of several Gilbert and Sullivan shows on this week at Malvern. They
abound in familiar lines and quotations, such as ‘To make the punishment
fit the crime!’ The mature audience are committed lovers of these
colourful shows. The company provides a grand evening of lively
entertainment! Timothy Crow
07-09-15 HMS
Pinafore 9-10 September The Gondoliers 11-12 September
|
|
|
|
s
him with an opportunity to have a light-hearted dig at all sorts of
contemporary people including the sellers of PPI, the advocates of
gluten-free diets and the former lead presenter of Top Gear!