May. 7, 2003. 07:35 AM

Mikado wonderfully sung!

ROBERT CREW

ARTS WRITER

There's only one possible verdict for the Toronto Operetta Theatre production of The Mikado, now playing at the Jane Mallett Theatre: Modified rapture.

Rapture because it is rare to hear Arthur Sullivan's music sung so beautifully. Modified because if you stack the lineup with superb, classically trained singers, there is a reckoning to be had on the acting side.

Who would have thought this old warhorse would have had so much life in it? First performed in 1885, The Mikado poked delicious fun at the politics and politicians of the day, using the Victoria fad for all things Japanese as a backdrop.

But the productions of G&S classics such as The Pirates Of Penzance, H.M.S. Pinafore and The Mikado are every bit as fresh and vital today; witness the highly successful (and still much missed) productions at the Stratford Festival in the 1980s.

The story of The Mikado, such as it is, revolves around Nanki-Poo, the son of the Mikado, who has fallen in love with Yum-Yum while disguised as a wandering musician (a second trombone, to be precise).

Nanki-Poo has fled the court to escape the attentions of the aging Katisha while Ko-Ko wants to marry his ward Yum-Yum.

And, of course, the threatening clouds soon pass away and everyone pairs off the way we think they should.

The opening solo number "A Wand'ring Ministrel, I" belongs to Nanki-Poo and from the moment tenor Eric Shaw opened his mouth it was evident that this role was in the safest of hands, vocally. Shaw has a glorious voice and made it all seem effortless (which it isn't).

No worries with our heroine, either, with the silver-voiced soprano Elizabeth DeGrazia cast as Yum-Yum. The two had good chemistry — they really seemed to like each other — and Shaw even kissed like a second trombonist.

I don't think I have heard some of the musical numbers sung better than they were last night — "Brightly Dawns Our Wedding Day" and "Here's A How-De-Do!" being just two examples — and usually DeGrazia and Shaw were leading the way.

Usually, but not always, Gregory Cross as Pooh-Bah, Giles Tomkins' Pish-Tush and Gregory Dahl's Mikado all had strong, resonant and flexible voices on the male side of the equation while Heather Shaw's Pitti Sing and Deborah Overes as Katisha were both vocally delightful, even if Overes' diction was not always of the clearest.

As Ko-Ko, Keith Savage seemed to have taken it upon himself to be the life and soul of the party. I longed for him to rein it in comically and to pay more attention to vocal delivery. There is no need to be overly expressive in "Willow, Tit-Willow", for example. The words and music carry the number perfectly well.

And Savage was a poor influence on Heather Shaw, who showed signs of joining the "more is more" school of acting.

Nowhere was a "less is more" philosophy better illustrated than in Guillermo Silva-Martin's simple but effective staging. This is a parasol production, with umbrellas everywhere, even in Katisha's hair and the Mikado's drink.

The spirited little (nine-member) orchestra, under Derek Bate, produced a lively if somewhat muted sound.

It's traditional to update the lyrics and Mayor Mel, Bill Clinton, George Bush and Harry Potter all got a mention.

And if you want to see a Japanese-style macarena or schuhplattler, well, this is your show.

Photo (left to right): Giles Tomkins as Pish-Tush, Gregory Dahl as The Mikado and Deborah Overes as Katisha

Charming Mikado rounds off the TOT’S season

TOPSY-TURVY TRIUMPH: Elizabeth DeGrazia performed as Yum Yum in the Toronto Operetta theatre’s performance of The Mikado

(Photo courtesy of Toronto Operetta Theatre)

By Barbara Neyedly (The Voice)

It was with a great sense of nostalgic anticipation that my mother and I set off to see the Toronto Operetta Theatre’s production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s crowning masterpiece, The Mikado, May 3 at the Jane Mallett Theatre.

It was my mother’s birthday, and a more fitting celebration couldn’t be found. Our family had grown up singing and listening to the tunes of Gilbert and Sullivan. After all, hadn’t my brother been dubbed “PoohBah Billy” as a cherished infant?

And hadn’t my sister and I been spirited away by a mischievous older cousin to the local theatre to see a Hollywood movie of The Mikado, at age seven and eight, unbeknownst to our parents, who searched the neighborhood while we reveled in the antics of the Lord High Executioner, Yum Yum and songs like Three Little Maids from School?

Well, here it all was again, and more glorious than we remembered. Seated close to the orchestra, we had the opportunity to see the precision timing and excellent effects of the drummer/percussionist. All the singers had marvelous voices and the acting in our minds fitted seamlessly with the satirical effect intended in the original production, which had its premiere back in 1885 London. Absorbing and charming was our verdict.

The set, simple but effective, consisted of a montage of shimmering umbrellas. All in all, a “masterpiece of topsy-turvy-dom”, wit and tunefulness that sweep us off our feet.

The production brought Toronto Operetta Theatre’s 2002/03 season to a magnificent close. The TOT opens its 2003/04 season October 5,2003, with With a Song in My Heart, The Best of Broadway 3, another classic, followed by The Chocolate Soldier in December.

For more information about the TOT, call their office 416 922-2912.

The Mikado by Gilbert & Sullivan

Directed by Guillermo Silva-Marin

Toronto Operetta Theatre, Jane Mallett Theatre, Toronto May 2-11, 2003

By Christopher Hoile, Principal Reviewer for Stage Door

"Laughing Song and Merry Dance"

The Toronto Operetta Theatre's current production of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado" is musically and dramatically one of the best the company has presented. The cast of young professional opera singers communicates the melody and vigour of Sullivan as his most inspired. That these singers are also fine actors insures that none of Gilbert's wit is lost.

Those familiar with G&S only from amateur productions with be delighted to hear how Sullivan's music blooms when opera singers sing it. Eric Shaw, with his burnished tenor, is ideal as Nanki-Poo, the disguised son of the Mikado of Japan. His excellent phrasing brings out the Handelian parody of Nanki-Poo's recitatives and his voice soars effortlessly in his solos and duets. He is well matched with Elizabeth DeGrazia as Yum-Yum. Her bright, clear soprano brings out the full beauty of her Act 2 aria "The Sun Whose Rays".

Under Guillermo Silva-Marin's insightful direction they are not the bland lovers as they are so often presented. Silva-Marin has the conspiracy against Ko-Ko begin much earlier than I've ever seen before. Shaw's knowing looks and wary glances suggest that it already begins with Nanki-Poo's attempted suicide and that ever further step is proceeding as he has foreseen. At the same time, Yum-Yum is not simply a delicate little blossom. DeGrazia shows that she is, in fact, a quintessential Gilbertian character motivated primarily by self-interest. DeGrazia's use of ultra-precise upper-class diction amusingly reveals how vain this teenaged girl really is.

Gregory Cross is appropriately stuffy and full of himself as Pooh-Bah and very funny in "Long Life to You" solo of Act 1. Deborah Overes' Katisha is more like a disgruntled schoolmarm than a tigress, but this fits well with the sympathy she arouses in her beautiful singing of "The Hour of Gladness" in Act 1 and "Alone, and Yet Alive" of Act 2. Gregory Dahl captures the youthful glee of the Mikado but not much of his menace. Rather more maniacal laughter in "My Object All Sublime" might be in order. But it is wonderful to hear this famous song by so powerful a voice. Newcomer Giles Tomkins displays a warm baritone in the role of Pish-Tush, and Rosalind Lewis as Peep-Bo and Heather Shaw as Pitti-Sing well distinguish Yum-Yum's fellow schoolmates. There is little doubt that the crowd favourite is Keith Savage as a rather more befuddled than dim-witted Ko-Ko. His expert comic timing alone is a delight. With an excellent sense of movement, his is a far more physically active Lord High Executioner than usual. His voice quality and phrasing will remind devoted Savoyards of John Reed, who sang the "crabby old man" roles in the much-loved D'Oyly Carte series in the 1960s.

Guillermo Silva-Marin has followed a good policy in updating Gilbert's text. For Ko-Ko's "little list" or the Mikado's "punishment fits the crime", we hear the original without additions and then have a reprise with up-to-date references to Enron, cell-phone users, Harry Potter and, of course, Dubya. Since there is no credit for it, it seems Silva-Marin has also choreographed the show. The singers are in constant movement during songs, sometimes in complex patterns, sometimes as the "three little girls from school" doing the Macarena.

Some may be disappointed to see that the orchestra consists of only nine members. (The budget has obviously gone toward the rental of the gorgeous costumes and wigs.) But as soon as Derek Bate begins the overture you know the show is in good hands. During the overture the bond sounds like a refined salon orchestra. While with one player to a part the ensemble can never achieve the full force the finales require, the benefit is that each of the line of Sullivan's writing can be better heard and Gilbert's words are always crystal clear.

Five red poles decorated with twelve paper umbrellas each are enough to suggest the setting while Cameron A. More's effective lighting enhances the changing moods. Ontario has seen more elaborate productions of "The Mikado", but rarely one as well sung as this. If Gilbert's words and Sullivan's music is what you prize most, this "Mikado" should be just your cup of tea.

© 2003 Christopher Hoile

Photo: Elizabeth Degrazia as Yum Yum and Eric Shaw as Nanki-Poo

OPERA Canada – REVIEW

Rosalind Lewis as Peep-Bo, Elizabeth deGrazia as Yum-Yum, Heather Shaw as

Pitti-Sing are the Three Little Maids in Gilbert and Sullivan’s THE MIKADO

Toronto Operetta Theatre has certainly shown itself to have a deft hand when producing Gilbert and Sullivan. This year’s offering was The Mikado, which fielded a terrific cast and effective, ritualized staging by artistic director Guillermo Silva-Marin. Music director Derek Bate led a nifty little ensemble anchored in a string quartet, and, clearly, he had worked on diction because most of the text was articulated very well. The pretty parasol set complemented the attractive Malabar costumes. While the singing was uniformly good, there was a real difference between the performers with lots of music-theatre experience and those from the opera world. The former group had a suave stage presence that seemed natural and easy, and heading the list was Gregory Cross (Pooh-Bah), Elizabeth DeGrazia (Yum-Yum), Deborah Overes (Katisha) and particularly Keith Savage (Ko-Ko). Eric Shaw (Nanki-Poo), Giles Tomkins (Pish-Tush), Gregory Dahi (the Mikado) and Rosalind Lewis and Heather Shaw as Yum-Yum’s sisters seemed much more self-conscious. However, everyone looked like they were having a good time, and, because we could hear most of the words, so did the audience. The chorus gave off a particularly good sound courtesy of Bate. This stylish production showed just what a class act TOT is, and more to the point, what a skillful stage director Silva-Marin is becoming. There was not one gratuitous or shallow piece of stage business, yet this Mikado brimmed with good humor and genuine poignancy — Paula Citron

Operetta Review - May 5, 2003

TORONTO OPERETTA THEATRE - "THE MIKADO"

Toronto Operetta Theatre has certainly shown itself to be a deft hand at producing Gilbert and Sullivan. This year's offering is "The Mikado" which fielded a terrific cast and effective ritualized staging by artistic director Guillermo Silva-Marin. Music director Derek Bate led a nifty little ensemble anchored in a string quartet and he clearly worked on diction because most of the text of the singers articulated very well. The pretty parasol set complimented the attractive Malabar costumes.

There is a real difference between the performers with lots of musical theatre experience and those from the opera world. The former group has a suave stage presence that seems natural and easy, and heading the list are Gregory Cross as Pooh-Bah, Elizabeth DeGrazia as Yum-Yum, Deborah Overes as Katisha, and particularly Keith Savage as Ko-Ko. Eric Shaw as Nanki-Poo, Giles Tomkins as Pish-Tush, Gregory Dahl as the Mikado and Rosalind Lewis and Heather Shaw as Yum-Yum's sisters seem much more self-conscious.

Nonetheless, everyone looks like they¹re having a good time, and the chorus gives off a particularly good sound courtesy of Bate. This production shows just what a class act TOT really is.

Everyone was waiting for the updated verses of "I have a little list" to see who would make it, and a big cheer went up when American ambassador Paul Cellucci and the Bush brothers, George and Jeb, were selected by the Lord High Executioner.

"The Mikado" continues at the Jane Mallett Theatre until May 11.

I'm Paula Citron, arts reviewer for CLASSICAL 96.3 FM.

Photo: Keith Savage as Ko-Ko

More Production History

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