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The Gilbert and Sullivan Newsletter Archive
GILBERTIAN GOSSIP
No 14 — August 1979
Edited by Michael Walters
THE MIKADO, Dumbartonshire O. S., 4 May 1979.
From the opening bars of the overture from the 22 piece orchestra until the final curtain this was a joyous Mikado. Producer & MD Andrea Steele, and the excellent cast kept the action and business moving fast throughout. All the principals put in first class performances. Ko-Ko (Jim McGroarty) danced, sang and used the stage to full advantage. Jim Fitzsimmons gave an elegant performance as Nanki-Poo. He produced a pocket calculator to work out the days/months/years of married happiness - a nice piece of business. Also of particular note was Mary Gallagher's formidable Katisha, easily the best amateur characterisation I've seen for a long time. She has a voice that would make her an adequate understudy for Peggy Mount, while displaying an excellent sense of humour and singing admirably. Gerald Mulvenna played Pooh-Bah very well. Visually he resembled Michael Rayner and was a bit smaller than Ko-Ko, but he was well-padded to compensate for this. John Mulvenna's Mikado sang well, and he produced a suitably terrifying laugh. Agnes McGrogan's Yum-Yum was nicely played and her "Sun whose rays" was a pleasure to hear. The other three little Maids, as well as Pish-Tush and Go-To provided excellent backing. The ladies and gents chorus were very well drilled and voluble, although some of the men were not at all sure how to handle their fans. LINDA WOOD
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