HOT MIKADO. To 14 November 2009.
Newbury/Tour.
HOT MIKADO
book and lyrics adapted by David H Bell, music adapted and arranged by Rob Bowman based on The Mikado by W S Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan.
Watermill Theatre, Newbury to 19h September.
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Thu, Sat 2.30pm except19 September at 1.30pm and 6.30pm.
then tour to 14 November 2009.
Runs 2hr 40min One interval.
TICKETS: 01635 46044.
www.watermill.org.uk (Newbury).
Review: Mark Courtice 7 September 2009.
Rollicking Night Out.
Hot Mikado's jazz version of the Gilbert and Sullivan favourite may take liberties (I don't know the original well enough to comment) but it deserves to be taken on its own merits as musical theatre. In Craig Revel Horwood's production things are strangely muted to begin with. Despite lots of big numbers, the exposition scenes drag the pace and are not funny enough to make up for it.
All is rescued however when Newbury stalwart Karen Mann (who has been hovering about being well behaved in the background hitherto) bursts onstage as Katisha. Ably assisted by Cassie Pearson, who has a big voice and can dance a storm, she proceeds to rip it up, and the show gets going.
From then on it's tuneful, riotous, engaging fun. The story is, I guess, close to the original - in other words batty - and some familiar songs in a variety of jazz styles tumble forth, pell-mell, as it all ends happily ever after.
The level of musicianship as the cast play and sing is impressive, if the acting is less so. The good humour of Revel Horwood's production is unflagging, and the dance numbers are full of wit and energy. The women definitely have the edge here; there is a belter of a performance from Melanie Marshall as the Mikado (yes, she's female - as she says, it's a long story). Abonia Omonua as Yum-Yum also seizes all her opportunities with her strong voice and real stage presence.
The sparse set is Habitat-Chinese (a paper screen back wall and some paper lamp shades) but the costumes are very clever. Like the results of an explosion in Saville Row, pinstripe suits and ties have been cut up and remodelled in a witty, beautifully made and finished parade of jazzy outfits. Along with Sarah Travis's artful arrangements of Rob Bowman's clever adaptation, it's these costumes that G and S would appreciate - slyly allusive, subversive and really well done.
As to the rest, once it gets going we can all enjoy a rollicking night out untroubled by the weight of all that history.
Blo-Hy: Alastair Brookshaw.
Tip-Tap: Robin Colyer.
Dit-Sum: Neil Ditt.
Len-Goo Man: Lee Drage.
Peep-Bo: Georgina Field.
Ko-Ko: Jeffrey Harmer.
Pooh-Bah: Julian Littman.
Katisha: Karen Mann.
Mikado: Melanie Marshall.
Yum-Yum: Abiona Omonua.
Pish-Tush: Kit Orton.
Pitti-Sing: Cassie Pearson.
Nanki-Poo: Dominic Tighe.
Ting-Tong: Sarah Travis.
Director/Choreographer: Craig Revel Horwood.
Musical Supervisor/Arranger: Sarah Travis
Designer: Diego Pitarch.
Lighting: Richard G Jones.
2009-09-09 11:49:59