Hot(?) Mikado

by Frank Furnari, New Rep Reviewer

Hot Mikado, now open at New Rep, is a 1986 adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado (via several other incarnations). Normally, at this point, the reviewer would give you a synopsis of the plot, but this plot is not worth discussing. At the onset we learn that flirting is an offense punishable by beheading, things get crazier from there with lots of things thrown in for seemingly little reason - I guess I should it expect it, this is Gilbert & Sullivan. After a while, this reviewer decided to give up on hoping for a decent plot and decided to focus on the nice music, colorful costumes and set – after that I started to enjoy myself. The show uses some of the melodies of the original, adding various jazz, swing, and gospel elements. The songs were enjoyable and performed well by a talented cast, although there was no “Modern Major General” number to hum on the ride home.

Kate Warner does a good job of assembling a strong, multiethnic cast. This is pointed out humorously when Ko-Ko tries to read Japanese and exclaims “Oh! It’s in Japanese?!” then realizing says, “Oh, we are Japanese!” Calvin Braxton’s Ko-Ko is entertaining to watch, with some funny lines and a great voice, especially in his performance of “Tit-Willow.” Aimee Doherty has become one of Boston’s star performers and does not disappoint, especially during “For He’s Gonna Marry Yum-Yum.” Jamie Howland’s set design is cute, being somewhat evocative of a Japanese garden, but colored in pastels. Speaking of colors, Frances Nelson McSherry’s costumes were full of bright colors all around, even in the men’s suits (of note is Pish-Tush’s purple suit). These are mixed in with some traditional Japanese garb, all of which paint a nice picture.

This brings us back to the plot – if you’re looking for a show with good music, dancing, strong performances, and don’t care much about a good storyline (like certain jukebox musicals that may come to mind), then this is a good show for you, as it appeared that many in the audience enjoyed it opening night. While I certainly enjoyed it more than Huntington’s production of Pirates! last year (yes, I was one of the people who didn’t care for it), I’m starting to get the feeling that Gilbert & Sullivan adaptations may not be for everyone – and not for me.

"Hot Mikado": The Punishment Fits the Rhyme

by Jack Craib, New Rep Reviewer

You heard it here first: New Rep’s last production on their current regular schedule, “Hot Mikado”, will be the season’s biggest hit. Based on the red-hot energy emanating from the stage, the incredible performances by its astoundingly multi-talented cast, and the undeniably enthusiastic connection with its opening night audience, it can’t miss.

Unless, like this reviewer, you happen to be a fan of Gilbert and Sullivan fare. As anticipated, given its modernized title, this is not your grandmother’s “Mikado”; sadly, it’s not Sir Arthur Sullivan’s, either. A good deal of lyricist/librettist W.S.Gilbert’s work survives its adaptation (by David H. Bell); the melodies and tempi of composer Sullivan do not. The musical adaptation and arrangement (by Rob Bowman) turns Sullivan’s memorable score into an unmemorable pastiche of swing and jazz (and occasional gospel). Even with these several influences, after a while most of the numbers pretty much numbingly sounded the same.

This might have worked if the adaptors had changed the locale and the cultural milieu of the original in addition to placing it in the 1940‘s. By being neither fish nor fowl, they have diluted rather than extended the satirical bite of its originators, who shrewdly skewered their British contemporaries precisely by utilizing an exotic setting. What remains from the source material, from the setting in the town of Titipu (with a very lovely and functional Japanese garden set by Janie Howland) to the convoluted oriental logic of the plot, jars harshly with the aforementioned musical styles. The eclectic costumes by Frances Nelson McSherry, while creative, add to the cultural confusion; most of the cast look like refugees from “Guys and Dolls” or Disney‘s version of “Dick Tracy”, while several characters retain more traditional Japanse styles. After a while, this misguided missile seemed as unpalatable as a mad scientist's grafting one person’s head onto the body of another. As an adaptation of a well-known classic, it simply doesn’t work.

This is not to disparage the yeoman efforts of the entire cast. While it may be unfair to single out specific performers from such a competent ensemble of professionals, it should be noted that there are some faces that will be happily familiar to local theatergoers. Some are New Rep returnees: It’s really amazing to see Aimee Doherty (from “Speed the Plow”) as Pitti-Sing and Edward M. Barker (of “A Christmas Carol” and “Dessa Rose”) as Pooh-Bah. Jordan Ahnquist, acclaimed for his recent SpeakEasy Stage role in “[title of show]”, as Pish-Tush displays a talent that belies his youth, and Calvin Braxton as Ko-Ko produces a fluidity that must be a product of his years with Cirque du Soleil. One negative note: Lisa Yuen as Katisha, who brings down the house (more than once), is gorgeous, lithe and sexy. In short, she’s the absolute antithesis of Katisha and totally unbelievable when she refers to herself as plain, save for her left shoulder blade. This may have been intentionally ironic, but it backfires. It’s yet another bump in this failed amalgam of material.

Those who are least familiar with “The Mikado” will doubtless find this production a joy. Others, who would include this reviewer, might look upon it as a travesty. There is a reason why the original work has lasted a century and a quarter. The punishment for purists is to endure a musical style that frankly doesn’t fit the rhyme. Not until the second act, when McCaela Donovan as Yum-Yum delivers a straightforwardly traditional (and powerfully poignant) rendition of “The Sun and I”, does the beauty of the original work emerge. And it was extremely telling that perhaps the heartiest audience response of the night was to the equally traditional and compellingly moving version of “Tit-Willow” by Calvin Braxton. Apart from those relatively brief moments, one was left feeling as though he’d just had an oriental dinner: hungry for more Gilbert and Sullivan.

"Hot Mikado" Works Too Hard To Be "Hot"

By Jana Pollack, New Rep Reviewer

An operetta is an acquired taste - a certain style of musical theater that doesn't bear much relation to today's Broadway musicals. However, having been reared on good old Gilbert and Sullivan shows like "Iolanthe" and "the Pirates of Penzance," I was ready to fully enjoy New Rep's "Hot Mikado," a modernized version of the operetta "The Mikado."

Unfortunately, the show did not live up to my expectations. "Hot Mikado" attempts to be a lot of things; it tries to be funny, it tries to be jazzy, it tries to make fun of itself in an interesting way. But it ends up being just an attempt - and, for all that trying, an unsuccessful one.

My issues are both with the show itself and with this particular production. Although "Hot Mikado" has enjoyed relative success since its opening in 1986, I don't find it to have much merit. Gilbert and Sullivan operettas are jokey by nature, and a good amount of laughter at its own expense is inherent in the original script. I'm not sure, then, why it needed updating. If the music were dramatically improved, that would be one reason - however, in this production, jazz riffs feel distinctly out of place, and I left the theater unable to remember a single melody.

The problematic source material is made worse by much over-doing. Songs that should be sung are often screeched, and the dancing is done in a go-for-broke style that doesn't feel smooth. All of the jokes are told with a knowing wink, which occasionally lands but more often annoys.

This isn't to say that there is no talent on display in this production. The screeching is problematic, yes, but I don't doubt that the actors all have lovely voices. The company works to fulfill the overall vision of the show, and that vision is flawed. In fact, the actors are working overtime: it often seemed like they were desperately trying to pull the show together, and I wished that I could feel like their efforts were paying off.

Frances Nelson McSherry's costumes are one aspect that does get it right, with interesting mixtures of Asian conventions and modern styles. There are occasional funny moments: a high point comes towards the end, with Ko-Ko's rendition of "Tit-Willow." And the male lead, Cheo Bourne as Nanki-Poo, has a lovely, smooth voice. Unfortunately, these individual bright spots, as well as a generally talented cast, can't make up for the underlying flaws. "Hot Mikado" is too desperate to prove that it knows it's funny, and the laughter gets lost in the exertion.