No 45 Autumn 1997 Edited by Michael Walters
This was a fairly straightforward Mikado without any gimmicks, unusual for the YS, but it proved yet again that this show needs no gimmicks or production business to succeed. The sets and costumes, however, were original; the minimal set was entirely in blue and white as were the costumes for all the residents of Titipu. The thrust stage was painted white with a border of blue motifs (including the two doves from the Willow Pattern). At the back was a rather occidental-looking wooden fence (painted blue) behind which the orchestra sat, a few stunted pollarded trees, and a sort-of Japanese humped bridge. Act 1 was entirely blue-and-white till the entrance of Katisha, a grotesque scarlet-and-blue clad ghoul. For Act 2, the girls had some red motives on their parasols as well as blue, and the Mikado (carried on in a litter) was similarly clad in scarlet and blue. All the singing was good, though none was exceptional, and Yum-Yum (Hazel Watts) was a bit low on volume and sometimes had problems making herself heard. Nanki-Poo (David Atkins) was fresh-voiced and faced; Pooh-Bah (Douglas Porter) was young and eager, not particularly pompous, rather egocentric. Pish-Tush (Tony Cotterill) and Go-To (Jim Sitch) were quite satisfactory. Tony Harris was a very whimsical Ko-Ko, and the little list, completely rewritten to refer to topical personalities, was one of the best bits of rewriting I can recall. Peep-bo (Juliet Brawn) was tall, Yum-Yum medium in height, and Pitti-Sing (Sara Bartolozzi) rather short. Zena Wigram gave a memorable performance as Katisha - quiet and deliberate, she never screamed, like many Katishas do, but she had the smoothness of a panther, and her Act 1 finale was quite chilling. The Mikado (Mike Newman) alternated between deadpan and a quaint and quizzical sense of humour. The chorus included Nick Poole (former principal) and Andrew Lumsden (? son of Norman Lumsden, retired professional bass, and J.R. Hartley in the TV ad).
One textual point which came out of this production was the relationship between Katisha and Pitti-Sing. In "The Criminal Cried" scene, Katisha glared at Pitti-Sing with a look of pure hatred that clearly said "you made me look foolish in Act 1, I'm going to enjoy seeing you suffer now, my girl". Was this Gilbert's intentention, and was it brought out in the original production? Probably we shall never know. The Young Savoyards have performed at the Questors' Theatre since 1984, and a list of the productions was appended to the programme. They have performed Mikado three times, Sorcerer, Pinafore, Pirates and Yeomen twice each, Patience, Iolanthe, Ida, Ruddigore, Gondoliers, Utopia, La Belle Helene, Orpheus in the Underworld and Tarantara, Tarantara! once each. They have not performed Trial by Jury or The Grand Duke.
MICHAEL WALTERS
Web page created 25 July 1998