"THE MIKADO."

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 108, 10 May 1939, Page 14

"THE MIKADO."

SAVOY OPERA ON SCREEN. Possibly the most popular and colourful of all the Savoy operas, "The Mikado," will be tseen in screen form at the Civic Theatre, for a season opening on Friday next. The most modern of technicolour processes was used in the production of the film, with the result that it will rank with the most spectacular of its type shown here. With the exception of Kenny Baker, the American tenor who heads the cast as Xanki-Poo, the cast is almost completely composed of members of the famous Rupert D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. Baker's American accent is bo slight as to be almost unnoticeable, and the diction of the rest of the company is, of course, as good as many years of careful training can make it. Lovers of the works of Gilbert and Bullivan will be pleasantly surprised to see that the original story and script has been closely followed, the only alterations made being those that were absolutely necessary. The musical score is, of course, an outstanding feature of the film, and it is perfectly interpreted by the cast. Baker is almost flawless, while Jean Colin, the feminine lead, and all the others give him enthusiastic and capable support.