This Mikado seems to be much maligned for reasons actually that I can understand. However I found it one of the better D'Oyly Carte Gilbert and Sullivan productions, not as good as Cox and Box, The Sorcerer, Iolanthe and Patience, but better than Pirates of Penzanze, HMS Pinafore and Yeomen of the Guard. I don't consider this production the definitive Mikado, in my opinion that's the 1987 one with Eric Idle and Lesley Garrett. Is it perfect(this production that is)? No it's not, the chorus choreography, excepting the entrance of the little girls which was nice and delicate, was rather dull and uninvolving, especially for the men, and William Conrad as well as singing flat most of the time sleepwalks through the role of the Mikado. Also while not suffering as badly as Pirates did, the video quality has a rather dated quality to it. However, it is elevated significantly by the beautiful garden set of Act 2, the wonderful orchestral playing and conducting and lovely singing from the ladies of the chorus, as well as some creative staging involving a hot-air balloon and a steam-powered train. Conrad aside, the performances are great. John Stewart is good overall as Nanki-Poo with a fabulous rendition of Wandering Minstrel and an ability to be emotive and comic. Kate Flowers is a beautiful Yum-Yum with a wonderfully sung The Sun Whose Rays and Gordon Sandison with his sense of comedy really makes the most of the relatively insubstantial part of Pish-Tush. The three standouts however were Anne Collins, Clive Revill and Stafford Dean. As Katisha, Collins manages to be heartbreaking and arrogant. Revill seems to be really relishing the sly character of Ko-Ko, and his singing I actually found more than serviceable, his Tit-willow rendition is quite touching. Dean is hilariously smug and pompous as Pooh-Bah, showing a real gift for comedy. In conclusion, I liked this one a lot. It is not perfect and there are better Mikados out there, but I don't think it is as bad as people say. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox
