2018: The Mikado

A very different Mikado …

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The comments

Dorothy Johnstone attended our Saturday matinée and wrote the NODA show report as well as presenting awards to nine Society members. It was especially appropriate for Dorothy to do this as she played Yum-Yum in our very first production of the opera in 1971!

Other people also appreciated our efforts:

Cathy Endeacott, Chair of KAOS, wrote: “As a person who has been involved in musical theatre for many years, The Mikado was one of the few Gilbert and Sullivan performances that I have been to in my life. (I think it was my third!) It will certainly not be my last. From the very beginning, I was enthralled and captivated. I thought the story was very entertaining and full of humour both in the libretto and songs! I loved the simple, but effective set which lent itself to the simple, but effective costumes! (Loved the coloured wigs and hats). Susanne Horsburgh as Ko-Ko and Robin Ozog as Katisha was a brilliant move in my opinion and I think this helped to add humour to the production. The whole company is to be commended on the singing – there must have been so much to remember, particularly for some of the principals. I am looking forward to your next production.”

Alexander Davis wrote, “The three of us who attended last Friday’s performance thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We went home feeling uplifted. The singing from everyone was clear and unforced and the diction especially good. Having a lady play Ko-Ko was a master stroke, bettered only when Robin Ozog’s Katisha made her dramatic appearance. We have previously enjoyed Robin’s performances as a member of Cantamus, but he excelled himself last week.”

The cast

Because Rae had the inspired idea of casting Robin as Katisha and Susanne as Ko-Ko, no cast list was published either on-line or in the programme, but you can access one at this link.

Kerry’s Ode

There are some things we always do during Show Week. For example, after the final performance the gentlemen gather in the Gents Chorus dressing room and sing Cwm Rhondda, in memory of those of our number who are no longer with us. Something else that is fast becoming a Society tradition is for our Mistress of the Wardrobe, Kerry Black, to write an “Odious Ode” giving her view of the show, and recalling some of the things that happened during the week. She read this on-stage at the end of the NODA presentation after the matinée. You can read Kerry’s Ode to the Mikado at this link.

Behind the scenes

The pictures below were taken by Val, Kerry and Geoff during Show Week and most were off the set. So far there’s been little attempt to order them, but some have been captioned. Hovering your mouse over the image area will pause the autoplay, or you can select a frame from the film-strip at the bottom.

Ko-Ko and Katisha were very photogenic despite the surroundings, which seem to have been intended to point out their real gender … but we censored Geoff’s picture that gave the detail of Robin’s embonpoint!