Decapitations are Hilarious (With the Right Music)
Posted: April 25, 2013
Columns
The Mikado as performed by The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Winnipeg at the Pantages Playhouse Theatre, April 24, 2013
Reviewed by Stephanie Adamov
Our all too fashionably late spring has left many Winnipeggers stuck with the winter blues. Any and all small talk about the weather has the potential to spiral into a frustrated exchange between customer and cashier. Although we can’t force John Sauder to deliver the weather we so desperately crave, the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Winnipeg may just have the temporary cure and a possible vernal retreat for us suffering Winnipeggers.
In their twenty-third season, the G & S Society raises the curtain with the company’s fourth production of The Mikado. The show debuted when the company was established in 1991 and was last produced in 2006 with a ‘Redressed’ version. The last installment stepped away from the traditional Japanese aesthetic and was instead set in a 1950s art gallery. Though there appeared to be a wide spectrum of responses to this stylistic choice, dedicated G & S patrons seemed slightly more at ease to know that director Reid Harrison was bringing a more traditional Mikado to the Pantages Playhouse stage in 2013.
First produced in 1885 in London’s Savoy Theatre, the comic operetta has lively music by Arthur Sullivan and quick-tongued, witty libretto by W. S. Gilbert. Easily one of the most popular of their recognized repertoire, it still remains the most performed work at the Savoy Theatre in London’s West End. The show has been translated numerous times and has also been made into several filmed versions, including one from 1987 starring Eric Idle as Ko-Ko.
With the glow of the orchestra lamps at their feet, the cast of forty (forty-one if you include the traditional appearance of Paddington Bear) lit up the stage with the sheer thrill of performing in front of an expectant audience. The exchange between dedicated patrons and enthusiastic community players was instant as the male Chorus of Nobles opened with “If You Want to Know Who We Are”.
The Mikado, played by Sam Plett, with the townspeople of Titipu; photo by Gary Barringer
Adorned in stunning kimonos courtesy of Jan Malabar and Harlequin Costumes of Winnipeg, the performance acted as a promotional display for the array of costumes available from the costume and dance store. The vibrant parade of Japanese apparel distinctively popped out against the white draped curtains in the wings and soft hues of backlighting from Sheldon Johnson’s set design and Jason Robbins’ lights.
Being produced in the traditional Japanese setting, Alice Wiebe’s very deliberate make-up design provided the final touches on the costumes for the performers. Certainly the designs added that specific G & S flair to the already very caricature-esque dramatis personae. This was particularly noted for the characters of The Mikado of Japan, and the characters of Pooh-Bah and Ko-Ko with distinctive age-defining lines.
Ever the optimistic and determined Nanki-Poo, Wes Rambo takes the reins as he, the Mikado’s son disguised as a travelling minstrel, searches for his quaint love interest Yum-Yum, portrayed by the spry airy soprano Amanda Bruneau. Despite the Mikado’s very specific law against flirting, the Rambo and Bruneau produce some radiant chemistry as they play opposite each other. This is duly noted in the pieces “Were You Not to Ko-Ko Plighted” as well as in Act II’s “Here’s a How-de-do” where they are joined by the mock-melodramatic Ko-Ko, The Lord High Executioner of Titipu, played by Fred Cross. Ko-Ko is currently engaged to Yum-Yum but strikes a compromise with Nanki-Poo to marry Yum-Yum for one month, after which Nanki-Poo will be executed to appease the Mikado’s bloodthirsty need for a decapitation in the city of Titipu. He however is unaware that the subject for said execution is actually his son, who has run away to find Yum-Yum.
Quick lines of dialogue are interspersed throughout the piece leaving very little room between songs during this almost two and a half hour production. Though some of the repetitive community theatre choreography left something to be desired, the ultimate enjoyment the performers exhibited during the show redeemed these qualities.
The highly anticipated entrance of The Mikado of Japan, who is often the topic of Act I dialogue, arrives in a most regal manor with accompanying percussion from the orchestra. The sinister embellishment of baritone Sam Plett’s depiction of the revengeful royal is enhanced by his most spectacular cackle that fills the nearly one hundred year old vaudeville theatre. At his side is veteran alto Donnalynn Grills, attempting to grab the limelight while playing the plain-faced Katisha, who is in a frenzy to find his son Nanki-Poo, whom she is determined to wed.
A concern for this piece from 1885 was to maintain the humour without adding insult to the Japanese subjects portrayed in the most comedic fashion. Never intending to be offensive, this production treads this grey area well, regardless of the silly nature of the characters’ names and subject matter. Perhaps it is the deliberate campiness of the show as a whole that allows the humour to reign supreme over any potentially racist or taboo content. Although there perhaps could be some stereotypes with the characterization of flared fans and overly extended arms, the nature of the music in combination with the wit and grit of the libretto make it work.
Something unique about Gilbert and Sullivan’s work is the allowance for artistic liberty by the performers. Certain songs traditionally have been rewritten to maintain relevancy as the plays stand the test of time. Such is the case with the instant crowd-pleaser, “As Some Day it May Happen”. Sung by G & S Society’s treasure, Fred Cross as Ko-Ko, he takes shots at local public figures such as Sam Katz and the recent restaurant scandal. He explains how he is conducting a list of public figures who if executed “would not be missed.” The immediate applause after each stanza for many recognizable names was a unifying audience experience and the lyrics were much discussed even after the final curtain.
In lieu of the wonderful energy produced by the Gilbert and Sullivan Society at last night’s performance, it seems only fitting to recognize a substantial loss to the G & S family. The passing of John Standing to whom opening night was dedicated is the most unfortunate for the company, as well as to the choral music community. He had been a public figure here and was an acting chorus master for a number of years.
Despite the level of experience one has with Gilbert and Sullivan shows, The Mikado serves as the perfect gateway to musicals and operas in general. Whether you go for the humour, the songs or merely to see your local bank teller sing her heart out, the experience is one to be enjoyed again and again.
The Mikado as performed by The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Winnipeg at the Pantages Playhouse Theatre 180 Market Ave Winnipeg, MB. Show times: Friday, April 26 at 7:30 PM, Saturday, April 27 at 2:30 PM, Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 PM.
Decapitations are Hilarious (With the Right Music)
Columns
The Mikado as performed by The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Winnipeg at the Pantages Playhouse Theatre, April 24, 2013
Reviewed by Stephanie Adamov
Our all too fashionably late spring has left many Winnipeggers stuck with the winter blues. Any and all small talk about the weather has the potential to spiral into a frustrated exchange between customer and cashier. Although we can’t force John Sauder to deliver the weather we so desperately crave, the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Winnipeg may just have the temporary cure and a possible vernal retreat for us suffering Winnipeggers.
In their twenty-third season, the G & S Society raises the curtain with the company’s fourth production of The Mikado. The show debuted when the company was established in 1991 and was last produced in 2006 with a ‘Redressed’ version. The last installment stepped away from the traditional Japanese aesthetic and was instead set in a 1950s art gallery. Though there appeared to be a wide spectrum of responses to this stylistic choice, dedicated G & S patrons seemed slightly more at ease to know that director Reid Harrison was bringing a more traditional Mikado to the Pantages Playhouse stage in 2013.
First produced in 1885 in London’s Savoy Theatre, the comic operetta has lively music by Arthur Sullivan and quick-tongued, witty libretto by W. S. Gilbert. Easily one of the most popular of their recognized repertoire, it still remains the most performed work at the Savoy Theatre in London’s West End. The show has been translated numerous times and has also been made into several filmed versions, including one from 1987 starring Eric Idle as Ko-Ko.
With the glow of the orchestra lamps at their feet, the cast of forty (forty-one if you include the traditional appearance of Paddington Bear) lit up the stage with the sheer thrill of performing in front of an expectant audience. The exchange between dedicated patrons and enthusiastic community players was instant as the male Chorus of Nobles opened with “If You Want to Know Who We Are”.
The Mikado, played by Sam Plett, with the townspeople of Titipu; photo by Gary Barringer
Adorned in stunning kimonos courtesy of Jan Malabar and Harlequin Costumes of Winnipeg, the performance acted as a promotional display for the array of costumes available from the costume and dance store. The vibrant parade of Japanese apparel distinctively popped out against the white draped curtains in the wings and soft hues of backlighting from Sheldon Johnson’s set design and Jason Robbins’ lights.
Being produced in the traditional Japanese setting, Alice Wiebe’s very deliberate make-up design provided the final touches on the costumes for the performers. Certainly the designs added that specific G & S flair to the already very caricature-esque dramatis personae. This was particularly noted for the characters of The Mikado of Japan, and the characters of Pooh-Bah and Ko-Ko with distinctive age-defining lines.
Ever the optimistic and determined Nanki-Poo, Wes Rambo takes the reins as he, the Mikado’s son disguised as a travelling minstrel, searches for his quaint love interest Yum-Yum, portrayed by the spry airy soprano Amanda Bruneau. Despite the Mikado’s very specific law against flirting, the Rambo and Bruneau produce some radiant chemistry as they play opposite each other. This is duly noted in the pieces “Were You Not to Ko-Ko Plighted” as well as in Act II’s “Here’s a How-de-do” where they are joined by the mock-melodramatic Ko-Ko, The Lord High Executioner of Titipu, played by Fred Cross. Ko-Ko is currently engaged to Yum-Yum but strikes a compromise with Nanki-Poo to marry Yum-Yum for one month, after which Nanki-Poo will be executed to appease the Mikado’s bloodthirsty need for a decapitation in the city of Titipu. He however is unaware that the subject for said execution is actually his son, who has run away to find Yum-Yum.
Quick lines of dialogue are interspersed throughout the piece leaving very little room between songs during this almost two and a half hour production. Though some of the repetitive community theatre choreography left something to be desired, the ultimate enjoyment the performers exhibited during the show redeemed these qualities.
The highly anticipated entrance of The Mikado of Japan, who is often the topic of Act I dialogue, arrives in a most regal manor with accompanying percussion from the orchestra. The sinister embellishment of baritone Sam Plett’s depiction of the revengeful royal is enhanced by his most spectacular cackle that fills the nearly one hundred year old vaudeville theatre. At his side is veteran alto Donnalynn Grills, attempting to grab the limelight while playing the plain-faced Katisha, who is in a frenzy to find his son Nanki-Poo, whom she is determined to wed.
A concern for this piece from 1885 was to maintain the humour without adding insult to the Japanese subjects portrayed in the most comedic fashion. Never intending to be offensive, this production treads this grey area well, regardless of the silly nature of the characters’ names and subject matter. Perhaps it is the deliberate campiness of the show as a whole that allows the humour to reign supreme over any potentially racist or taboo content. Although there perhaps could be some stereotypes with the characterization of flared fans and overly extended arms, the nature of the music in combination with the wit and grit of the libretto make it work.
Something unique about Gilbert and Sullivan’s work is the allowance for artistic liberty by the performers. Certain songs traditionally have been rewritten to maintain relevancy as the plays stand the test of time. Such is the case with the instant crowd-pleaser, “As Some Day it May Happen”. Sung by G & S Society’s treasure, Fred Cross as Ko-Ko, he takes shots at local public figures such as Sam Katz and the recent restaurant scandal. He explains how he is conducting a list of public figures who if executed “would not be missed.” The immediate applause after each stanza for many recognizable names was a unifying audience experience and the lyrics were much discussed even after the final curtain.
In lieu of the wonderful energy produced by the Gilbert and Sullivan Society at last night’s performance, it seems only fitting to recognize a substantial loss to the G & S family. The passing of John Standing to whom opening night was dedicated is the most unfortunate for the company, as well as to the choral music community. He had been a public figure here and was an acting chorus master for a number of years.
Despite the level of experience one has with Gilbert and Sullivan shows, The Mikado serves as the perfect gateway to musicals and operas in general. Whether you go for the humour, the songs or merely to see your local bank teller sing her heart out, the experience is one to be enjoyed again and again.
The Mikado as performed by The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Winnipeg at the Pantages Playhouse Theatre 180 Market Ave Winnipeg, MB. Show times: Friday, April 26 at 7:30 PM, Saturday, April 27 at 2:30 PM, Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 PM.