Theatre Review: The Mikado - Tabard Theatre, Chiswick ✭✭✭✭✭
The Mikado
Friday 22nd February: What a fabulous show! Pulling Focus’ production of The Mikado is entertaining, comical and
delightfully sung. The stellar, youthful-looking cast of eight sing and play
their roles beautifully and I would love to see this production again!!! This
most famous Gilbert and Sullivan operetta tells the tale of love, corruption,
marriage and heroics with the popular characters: the two lovers Yum-Yum
(enchanting soprano Emily Davies)
and Nanki-Poo (the dedicated Michael Risely)
who sing the duet This is What I’ll Never
Do beautifully; the executioner Ko-Ko (the debonair Ed Norwood), the multi-functional Pooh-Ba (the entertaining Andrew Pugsley) and of course the menacing
Mikado (a terrific entrance and performance by Stiofan O’Doherty whose basso profondo voice belies his appearance).
Matthew Johnson
directs a gem of a show with memories of Katisha’s entrance (performed
spectacularly by Suzanna Kempner)
and the Act Two opener Braid the Golden
Hair leaving me chuckling all the way home. The mention of ‘horse’, ‘burgers’,
‘footballers’ and ‘wags’ in The None of
Them be Missed sang by Ko-Ko (Norwood) soon makes me realise the lyrics are
not the original penned by Gilbert & Sullivan!!! And Musical Director Jerome van den Berghe’s alternative is
a hilarious modern interpretation at times lifting the roof off the whole
house.
Christopher Hone’s
design is magnificent and it seems no expense is spared. Set in the clubhouse
lounge of the Royal Japan (pronounced Yapan) Golf Club & Spa, the mixture
of golf chic (checked carpets) and Japanese elegance (delicately decorated
sliding doors) is fantastic. The walls are decorated with the club logo, a golf
club and flag crossed like a coat of arms, and these are also emblazoned on the
costumes - look out for the ‘blinged’ version on Katisha’s (Kempner) polo
shirt! I love the panache of the golf attire and wonder if I’d look out of
place wearing a solitary leather glove on a Friday night in Oval.
The house is full to the rafters and next time I visit The
Tabard Theatre I’ll put my coat down before anything else, because the
unallocated seating in this popular local venue means if you’re not quick
you’ll be squashed in the benches, à la nosebleed seats, at the top of the
racked seating. And unfortunately I ending up sitting behind the tallest man in
the house! But what I did see of the show was magnificent! The theatre has a separate
entrance to the pub, which is convenient as you don’t have to battle through
punters to reach it. What isn’t so convenient is that you do have to battle
through the punters to use the ‘facilities’ in the pub as there are none in the
theatre. Plus the programmes didn’t arrive until the interval so apologies if
the song titles are not correct! But these are minor factors. Long may this
theatre produce wonderful productions! Miss The Mikado and miss out.
5 stars ✭✭✭✭✭
The Mikado plays at The Tabard Theatre
Wednesday 20 February to Sunday 17 March 2013.
Tuesday – Saturday @ 7:30 pm.
Saturday @ 4pm
Sunday @ 2:30pm
No performances on Mondays.
Tickets are priced £19 (£17 concessions, £15 children)
Book online at www.tabardtheatre.co.uk or 0208 995 6035
Tabard Theatre, 2 Bath Road, London W4 1LW
Tube: Turnham Green (Next door to theatre). Buses: 27, 94, 267, 337, 391, E3, H91
