"THE MIKADO"

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16210, 7 December 1926, Page 3

"THE MIKADO"

CHARM L.VC COMIC OPERA THE CAST. Tlie Mikado of Japan... Bernard Manning Nanki-Poo Leo Darnton Pooh-Bah John Ralston. Pish-Tnsh Lance Fairfax. Yum-Yum Patti Russell Peep-Bo Nancy Home. Pitti Sing Ef'hc Armstrong', Katisha Winifred Williamson. Ko-Ko Charles Welemi. Tlie comic opera, "The Mikado." lias long been recognised as one of the favorite productions of the Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire, and the audience that greeted it at the Opera House last evening were charmed with its presentation by the members of the J. C. Williamson company. The costuming of the opera was.again a feature of the production, and tlie stage appointments wore in keeping with the demands upon the costumiers. Every part was taken with, the ease of long association, and the players gave wholehearted enjoyment to the audience throughout the evening. The, story ot the opera is as wellknown as any of the Gilbert and Sullivan plots, aud is marked by the vein of satire that distinguishes all the original Savoy operas. The scene revolves around the love of little Yum-Yum, most charming of the "Three little Maids from School," and a son of the Mikado, one Nanki-Poo, who preferred banishment from the court, and the part of a minstrel, to marriage with Kaliska, a lady of the court whose age was less certain than her intentions upon the affections of Nanki-Poo. Yum-Yum is betrothed to Ko-Ko, the Mikado's Lord High Executioner, during the absence of NankiPoo, and in the middle of the wedding preparations, the banished one returns. He loses no time in assuring Yum-Yum of - his love, and in a delightful duet, ho tells her how he would woo her "Were you not to Ko-Ko Plighted." From flu's stage onward, the troubles of the opera are mainly upon tlie head of the luckless Lord'High Executioner, whose master demands that he be more active with the sword. The Mikado demands a head, without specifying whose head he requires. Any head will do, it appears, and Nanki-Poo conceives the idea of offering his own head to appease the Mikado, in exchange for a month of wedded bliss with Yum-Yum. The custom is that the wife of a beheaded person must he buried with the deceased, and on realising the fate in stqre for her, Yum-Yum develops a certain coldness towards her lover. The embarrassed Ko-Ko puts himself in a hole bv making a false declaration to the Emperor that he has duly beheaded a victim, the Mikado threatening him with the penalties attached to tlie docapitation of his heir. The prospect is too much for Ko-Ko, and in preference ho sacrifices himself on the altar ol matrimony with Katisha, leaving YumYum free'to marry Nanki-Poo, now able to return to tlie court.

In the part of Yum-Yum, Miss Patti Russell made an excellent impression, and in her solo numbers, duets, and concerted songs showed a keen appreciation of what the role demanded. NankiPoo, presented by Leo Darnton, was a suitably bold and enterprising young man, and Mr. Darnton's voice was heard to advantage, in his numbers with YumYum, and also with Pooh-Bah, Pish Tush, and Koko. The Lord High Executioner, Koko, as presented by Charles Walcmn, was an amusing character, and Katisha (Winifred Williamson), provided an excellent foil to his lighter work in the second act. Bernard Manning made the Mikado an appropriately forbidding humorist, while John Hals ton, as Pooh-Bah, also was good. The minor characters were well taken. The chorus was again excellent, and the orchestral work was highly creditable to the conductor. The company will present this evening the charming opera "lolanlhe," a fairy tale of the sprite who marrie'd a mortal.