The Mikado

[Kazz]

Well booked to see Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado staged for the 125th anniversary. So looking forward to it I love G&S and its rarely on the profesional stage.

Anyone else a fan?

[dandysmom]

I've never seen a live performance, but love G & S ... the Mikado is a favorite, but love them all on CDs! Enjoy!!

[angieh]

Not hugely Kazz, but I do think the lyrics(if you can call them that) are clever. Never seen a production.

[dandysmom]

I can't sing, but do along with some of my favorites: Titwillow, Poor Little Buttercup, When I was a Lad, I am the Captain of the Pinafore....

[Kazz]

Eileen I will give you a full review of the performance when I've seen it in March.

[yola]

Hmmm - I have to admit to struggling with G&S. We did Pirates of Penzance at school; I worked on the sets, programme design and make up and try as I might I couldn't get into the music/libretto.

I also tried watching Mike Leigh's Topsy Turvey and desperately wanted to enjoy it but didn't :(

Karen/Eileen - what is it that grabs you about their work?

[Kazz]

I think its the lightness and the humour.....

[yola]

I adored the clever word-play of the scripts/librettos . . . I think it's the whole 'Victorian' approach to it that I found/find difficult though.

Might be time to retry snippets via you tube or similar . . .

[Kazz]

Yeah the stuffiness can be hard but I am hoping it won't be OTT in this one Alistair Mcgowan is the Mikado in the production I am going to see. This is the link http://www.thsh.co.uk/event-view.php?id=2557 I am hoping it is not to stuffy, I really am but really looking forward to it.

[Kazz]

Have to say though I grew into it I could not stand it, when I first heard it G&S that is but its slowly grown on me till I am quite taken.
Give it another go Yola I did and glad I did.

[dandysmom]

I'm sightly embarrassed to say I'd never heard of G & S until my late teens ... we weren't a musical family. But at a sleepover at a friends house they were playing Pinafore on the phonograph (remember those?) and I was smitten!

I rather like some aspects of Victoriana .... have found some lovely birthday cards which you will be seeing in due course!

[MrsH]

We love G&S and have seen most of them on stage and The Mikado is a favourite. We saw the English National Opera do the Jonathan Miller production, great fun, staged as a 1930's set, complete with loads of tap-dancing!

[Kim]

I love G&S and have sung in many of their operettas. I sang the lead soprano part - Yum Yum and my OH was the lead tenor, Nanky Poo! I think the Mikado is my favourite. I am sure you will enjoy it.

I think it was ENO production of the Mikado that we have seen!