The Mikado??
Mon, 4 Aug 2003, 01:24 pmWalter Plinge5 posts in thread
The Mikado??
Mon, 4 Aug 2003, 01:24 pmDid anybody get around to seeing this show? I was just interested to see how it was received.
Re: THE MIKADO A REVIEW
Thu, 7 Aug 2003, 12:16 pmWalter Plinge
Dammit, I just wrote a long and comprehensive review, attempted to post itÂ… and it promptly erased itself. So thus: a comparatively short review.
I saw The Mikado on Wednesday and Friday, and would like to acknowledge at this point that I am somewhat bias, as I know about 75% of the principals and 50% of the chorus.
Mark Desebrock did a great job with Ko-Ko (SO much energy for every performance – I want what he’s on); Erin Hutchinson and Jaya Henderson were, as always, fantastic sharing the role of Yum-Yum, and the lovely Miss Lara Thew was spectacular as the rather unlovely Katisha.
Justin Friend gave a polished performance as Nanki-Poo, and his lovely fiancé Monique Beaudoire was a scream as Pitti-Sing. Courtney Greig and Sam Devenport gave different but equally good portrayals of Pish-Tush, and Kurt Norvilas had his moments as Pooh-Bah. I hear each of these actorsÂ’ counterparts (split cast) also did a great job.
The dark-haired-cult chorus was so-so, and struggled with volume and articulation. However, I think what youÂ’ve got to remember is that a lot of the chorus was probably 13 years old and the like, and as such did a perfectly passable job.
The hot air balloon excited me to a fairly large extent, as did the golf buggy and strange bicycle contraption. Unnecessary, but fun.
The set was simple and effective, though on both nights several cast members had trouble maneuvering their way amongst the set and props. I hear that a certain someone fell off a dodgy chair whilst in a freeze during Saturday’s performance – Don’t worry mate, happens to the best of us…
The costumes/makeup and orchestra were so-so, as was the use (or rather, misuse) of the microphones. On Friday, The Mikado (AJ Ewers) sounded decidedly The Wizard Of Oz-esque, due to some pretty shocking reverb.
In terms of individual numbers, standout songs for me included “As Someday It May Happen” (The List), “I Am So Proud”, “Willow Titwillow” and “There Is Beauty…”, but the really great moments were when several of the leads interacted with each other, namely “Here’s a How-De-Do”, “The Criminal Cried…” and “The Flowers That Bloom…”. Gold, just fantastic.
I did enjoy the production, and the so-so aspects of it were outshined for me by the truly great moments.
One final note: Anyone else who also saw The Mikado are possibly wondering about the significance of the four topless, buff, bronzed and oiled boys (I hear they were recruited from the CCGS rowing team) walking around the stage throughout. And to that I say: no significance whatsoever. And yet, IÂ’m not complaining. Not complaining in the slightestÂ…
CheersÂ…
Thou artless rude-growing bugbear!
I saw The Mikado on Wednesday and Friday, and would like to acknowledge at this point that I am somewhat bias, as I know about 75% of the principals and 50% of the chorus.
Mark Desebrock did a great job with Ko-Ko (SO much energy for every performance – I want what he’s on); Erin Hutchinson and Jaya Henderson were, as always, fantastic sharing the role of Yum-Yum, and the lovely Miss Lara Thew was spectacular as the rather unlovely Katisha.
Justin Friend gave a polished performance as Nanki-Poo, and his lovely fiancé Monique Beaudoire was a scream as Pitti-Sing. Courtney Greig and Sam Devenport gave different but equally good portrayals of Pish-Tush, and Kurt Norvilas had his moments as Pooh-Bah. I hear each of these actorsÂ’ counterparts (split cast) also did a great job.
The dark-haired-cult chorus was so-so, and struggled with volume and articulation. However, I think what youÂ’ve got to remember is that a lot of the chorus was probably 13 years old and the like, and as such did a perfectly passable job.
The hot air balloon excited me to a fairly large extent, as did the golf buggy and strange bicycle contraption. Unnecessary, but fun.
The set was simple and effective, though on both nights several cast members had trouble maneuvering their way amongst the set and props. I hear that a certain someone fell off a dodgy chair whilst in a freeze during Saturday’s performance – Don’t worry mate, happens to the best of us…
The costumes/makeup and orchestra were so-so, as was the use (or rather, misuse) of the microphones. On Friday, The Mikado (AJ Ewers) sounded decidedly The Wizard Of Oz-esque, due to some pretty shocking reverb.
In terms of individual numbers, standout songs for me included “As Someday It May Happen” (The List), “I Am So Proud”, “Willow Titwillow” and “There Is Beauty…”, but the really great moments were when several of the leads interacted with each other, namely “Here’s a How-De-Do”, “The Criminal Cried…” and “The Flowers That Bloom…”. Gold, just fantastic.
I did enjoy the production, and the so-so aspects of it were outshined for me by the truly great moments.
One final note: Anyone else who also saw The Mikado are possibly wondering about the significance of the four topless, buff, bronzed and oiled boys (I hear they were recruited from the CCGS rowing team) walking around the stage throughout. And to that I say: no significance whatsoever. And yet, IÂ’m not complaining. Not complaining in the slightestÂ…
CheersÂ…
Thou artless rude-growing bugbear!