The Mikado - Royal Northern College of Music - 15/02/07 by Julia Taylor

Jo Taylor, director of the Manchester University Gilbert and Sullivan Society (MUGSS) took the innovative and fashionable step of converting Gilbert and Sullivan’s most popular opera, The Mikado, from Japanese style to Bollywood style.

This had its advantages particularly in the costume department. The male chorus looked like a 20-strong group of Mahatama Ghandis whilst the women dressed in Salwar Kameez were a colourful bunch in their loose tunics and pyjama-like trousers.

The Tower of Titipu was remarkably similar to the Tah Mahal and the South Asian element gave the stage crew an excuse to introduce the biggest star of all – a gigantic golden elephant that carried the white and gold clad Mikado on to the stage with panache enabling Ian Field to dominate events thereafter.

I was relieved that no attempt had been made to adapt Sullivan’s music to the tuning and scales of India, although I had expected this to happen. But I do think Gilbert’s words should have been changed. It seemed ludicrous that references to Japan were constantly being made when we weren’t in Japan but the sub-continent!

However, the whole point about Gilbert and Sullivan’s works is that, wherever the action is set, the characters, jokes and lingo are quintessentially English. Probably the best example of this was Paul Kendler’s Ko-Ko. Undoubtedly the funniest character, he had me in stitches when he urged his successful rival, Nanki-Poo (William Lindsay).to make romantic moves towards their shared love, Yum-Yum (Alisa Mainwaring) so that he might get used to them. Ko-Ko drew the short straw when he was eventually partnered with Katisha. Emma Ross made her entrance in that role, dressed as a six-armed Hindu Goddess. Not meant to be a beauty, she herself admitted that she was an “acquired taste”.

William Lindsay and Alisa Mainwaring were superb leading roles. Both had beautiful voices and perfect diction. Lisa, an experienced concert and oratorio artist, has already appeared with several leading opera companies. William should, in my opinion, forget his law and politics studies and follow in her footsteps. I’m sure he is capable of grand opera.

The singing by all in the second half was particularly impressive. From duets to five-part harmonies, who could resist popular songs such as “Brightly dawns our wedding day”, “The flowers that bloom in the Spring” and “A more Humane Mikado” with its popular reprise “Let the Punishment Fit The Crime”. The male and female choruses were professional vocally and well positioned by the director. It’s not easy to discipline 58 characters on stage.

None of it could have happened without the contribution of the Titipu Town Band. Under Francis Fee’s direction, the orchestra played the overture particularly well. This was MUGSS’s debut at the Royal Northern College of Music. I hope it will be the first of many appearances.