#edfringe2016: The Mikado - Cat-Like Tread ★★★★

Photos by Tom Paton, assisted ably by Scott Thomson and two very helpful prop masters. https://www.facebook.com/CatLikeTread

Cat-like Tread loves Gilbert and Sullivan and they want to share their magical music world to everyone. Having produced sold out shows, including The Pirates of Penzance and H.M.S. Pinafore, they’ve arrived at Edinburgh Fringe and tickled audiences last night at Space Triplex with everyone’s favourite sing-along-opera The Mikado.

The enthusiastic troupe allowed Nanki-Poo to have his Yum-Yum, eventually. But it wasn’t easy - the drunken stag do and hen party seemed pretty brutal with not-so-pretty hangovers which followed shortly after.

The Mikado is pickle of a story. Nanki-Poo, the Mikado’s son, doesn’t want to marry Katisha, with her dashing elbows and shoulder blades, so he runs away pretending to be a second trombone and falls in love with Yum-Yum, who is already betrothed to the Lord High Executioner Ko-Ko. But Yum Yum doesn’t want to marry the Lord High Executioner and, sadly, she has no choice on the matter, which leaves Nanki-Poo feeling very suicidal. Then as The Mikado demands an execution to take place, as there hasn’t been many going on lately, (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but this is fiction, so it doesn’t matter) Ko-Ko chooses to execute Nanki-Poo seeing as he is willing to top himself. The real trouble begins when they all discover that Nanki-Poo is, in fact, the next ruler of Japan, but they have many laughing gags and dance routines before their execution, which never happens because it's a comedy opera!

Directors Rae Lamond and Sarah Whitty have worked hard getting their performers sharp and poised for this fast-paced show. Gillian Robertson is on the mark as musical director as she looks to skilled pianist Jamie Wilson, who performs the entire score, and the chorus of singers and soloists. 

Dance and movement choreographies are tight with sophisticated clapping formations between the ladies of the chorus and talented performer Scott Thomson, who plays Pooh-Bah The Lord High of Everything Other!

Nick Clelland and Anna Thomson give cutesy performances as the lovers. Clelland’s wandering minstrel is weedy, but he has a heart of gold for his true love and sings lyrically throughout. Thomson’s Yum Yum is a fiery minx in a karate outfit who needs her Nanki-Poo. Thomson is a talented singer, which is shown best in her performance in The Sun whose rays are all ablaze in the second act.

Matthew  Sielewicz’s Mikado seemed to have walked out of an 80s movie. His vocals were solid and rich, with Dougal Freir giving an awesome performance singing as Ko-Ko with his very up-to-date execution list – it was as if he wrote his list off the cuff on the day; he sung about 30-year-olds playing Pokemon Go, Brexit, piano organists and those annoying people on a detox, which was a major giggle fest.

Debora Ruiz-Kordova gives a standout performance as Katisha, singing impressively and giving her all into her own characterization of the middle-aged unwanted woman of the court. There were moments in her performance where I saw the Queen of the Night from Mozart’s Magic Flute.

The opera that parodies 19th century British politicians through all things kimono and Japanese is a brilliant show with witty music, which keeps you hooked, particularly if you enjoy tapping your shoes and singing along to some witty lines. Some favourites include Behold the Lord High Executioner and Tit Willow, Tit Willow, and Cat like Tread gives warm, glowing performances for such songs, and more.

Cat-Like Tread are showing The Mikado now to August 27th. Click here to purchase tickets. https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/mikado

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Gilbert and Sullivan: An witty and upbeat opera that pokes fun out of miserable poets and romantics ****

Taking place in one of the very first Elizabethan pub theatres, the King’s Head Theatre, is a contemporary and polished version of W.S Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s ‘Patience.’ Directed by John Savournin of the Charles Court theatre sees a comedy opera on the rapturous undertakings of the aesthetic movement during 1870s-80s England, but with a satirical twist according to Gilbert. These aesthetes of the time included William Morris and even Oscar Wilde who felt that Victorian values stifled art and literature.

With such a witty libretto with a –rather- rapid tempo, all singers appeared vigilant about their poetically lengthy lyrics and like a game of lexical gymnastics, required use of  ‘very sophisticated’ vocabulary.

Two poets, Bunthorne (David Phipps-Davis) and Archibald (Henry Manning) fall in love with barmaid, Patience (Joanna Marie Skillett) yet, even though she favours Archibald, she understands love to be a selfless act as to love someone who not only returns her love but identifies themselves as a ‘trustee of beauty’ and perfection would be selfish. Gilbert’s mockery of these poets is heightened with the hilarity from the maidens played by Helen Evora, Andrea Tweedale and Amy J Payne as Lady Jane, who unlike Patience, desperately stalk and pursue these intellectual pups. This is parodied against the try-hard philistine men of the Dragoon Guards (Giles Davies, Michael Kerry and David Menezes.) Dressed in handsome soldier uniform they over-think the melancholic maidens’ preference for ‘early English’ men of poetic virtuoso and have a hand (later on) in dressing badly as clown and member of Led Zeppelin. Yet it’s just a ploy to capture the maidens’ hearts, which manages to work even if they have no idea of what they are doing.

David Eaton, music director and resilient pianist remained cool under pressure for a demanding and jolly score considering numerous catchy group choruses.  And Phipps-Davis’s dramatic and self-indulgent ‘Bunthorne’ is an easily likable character given his skill for accentuating every syllable and vowel. His voice, 17^th century attire and wig thanks to Carrie Edwards gave him some note worthy praises.

Payne’s ‘Lady Jane’ is a frustrated devotee of Bunthorne who sing lavishly about her insecurities regarding her appearance whilst considering opening a bag of Walker’s crisps. Yet she manages to make the audience giggle through her woes and received the most applause. Whilst in Act 2,  Skillett stares into the audience as innocent Patience through her eloquent singing which drags viewers out of the jolly mood for a moment of sorrow.

If you want to see a comedy show laden with jokes that will uplift your spirits, look no further. There are special scenes including Archibald succumbing to Burnthorne’s moaning that result in a re-vamped Archibald with baseball cap, jeans and a funny South London. He enters accompanied by the once Goth-like Evora and Tweedale who turn into chavs operatically referencing  ‘TK Maxx‘ and ‘Sports Direct.’ This opera pokes fun out of the old-day version of our modern day hipster and EMO personalities. There’s no need to like poetry either to enjoy the performance, so happy frolicking!

This production has ended, but please click here for more shows and information on the Kings Head Pub.