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.