---

Amy Hopkins May 23, 2011

Oxford Playhouse, Mon 23 May 2011

Oxford Operatic Society’s innovative revival of The Mikado sets Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic operetta in the modern day Japanese business world. Gilbert and Sullivan wrote The Mikado to mock the strange dealings, shady judgements and farcical laws of British politics - themes that translate seamlessly into the realm of business.

So, in the hands of director Edward Blagrove, Mikado becomes ‘Mikado Solutions', a multinational corporation, and TV screens, boardrooms and water coolers provide a corporate backdrop to the play. Naturally, Blagrove’s theme requires some ‘tweaking’ of the original production, which results in numerous comedic moments. The complicated plot is explained to the audience by way of a typically naff PowerPoint presentation and there were chuckles when Ko-Ko quipped ‘I’ve got an App for that’.

In this up-to-the-minute version, Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘Little List’ (of people whose deaths would not be a blow to society) has been updated to take a swipe at contemporary figures, and includes reality TV stars, high profile unfaithful sports stars and benefit cheats.

Alex Williams gave a solid performance as leading male Nanki-Poo and Hannah Veale’s Yum-Yum was pristine in tone. Susanne Sheehy and Jennifer Riley Smith did an excellent job as Yum-Yum’s sisters – bringing a fresh feistiness to the roles, helped in part by their kinky school-girl get up.
John Wilkes, Stephen Pascoe and Wayne Brown, who played Pish-Tush, Pooh-Bah and Ko-Ko, shared a palpable on-stage chemistry and made the most of Gilbert’s script by delivering their dialogue with the right blend of lightness and emphasis. Julie Fodd, as rejected daughter-in-law Katisha, similarly succeeded in mining the depths of her character to find both pathos and absurdity.

Unfortunately, while the singing was strong, the dance routines were uncoordinated and somewhat clumsy. However, what the dancers lack in polish and precision, they more than make up for in enthusiasm.

This may not be the most elegant of productions – and traditionalists might object to this novel retelling of Gilbert and Sullivan’s much-loved operetta – but the show is still worth a visit. 

This is a production that comes from the heart and, thanks to their energy, imagination and obvious sense humour, Oxford Operatic Society have succeeded in breathing new life into an old story by pushing the boundaries of community theatre.

Oxford Operatic Society is a talented company, not afraid to try new people in both cast and creative roles. Invariably, this results in hit and miss results... and The Mikado is periously close to a miss.

Let me say from the start, I'm not a traditionalist as regards G&S, but Ed Blagrove's production is almost too clever for its own good. As a result, the basics suffer. Untidy choreography, weak diction from some principals, an indifferent band in the pit and lack of subtlety with regard to Gilbert's witticisms are set against good chorus singing, great cameo roles in Pitti-Sing and Peep-Bo and great designs. There's no getting away from the fact though that the principals need more comic finesse with the dialogue and songs and in the cases of Katisha and Ko-Ko, a better feel for comic acting.

Good for Oxford Operatic for giving it a try but I can't help feeling a more toned-down approach would be much better suited to this company.

AvidTheatreGoerOxford 25 May 2011