"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.