STAGE REVIEW: The Mikado, Festival Theatre, Malvern, Tuesday, July 4 to Saturday, July 8, 2017.

DIRECTOR Sasha Regan’s all-male production of is a complete hoot . As you would expect the cast approach their roles firmly with tongue-in-cheek and camp it up splendidly throughout.

The idea that Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta’s should be delivered by showing a reverence for tradition is dispensed with aplomb. The action is set within a boy scout camp from a generation or so ago (if the striped pyjama costumes are to be believed) but is quickly re-imagined to be taking place in the time of the all-powerful Emperor of Japan and his errant court.

The quality of the singing is quite amazing, especially from the countertenors, who take the female parts, and their acting skills are equally impressive. I particularly liked the constant bi-play between Pitti-Sing (Jamie Jukes) and Peep-Bo (Richard Russell Edwards) who played themselves as both best of friends - and complete bitches towards one another.

Pish Tush was played by Benjamin Vivian Jones as a Welsh Charles Hawtrey, while Pooh Bah (Ross Finnie) appeared to be modelled on a self-glorifying Alex Salmond and David McKechnie excellently played Ko Ko as a scheming Cockney. He was crystal clear in his singing and acting and really held the piece together.

Malvern’s own Alex Weatherhill was, quite simply, the best Katisha I have ever seen. His/her singing of the deep contralto part was excellent and his portrayal of the Emperor’s daughter-in-law ‘elect’ battleaxe with a ‘shoulder that is a joy to behold’ was a tour de force.

I never imagined that I could so much enjoy her mournful ‘Alone and yet alive’ sung with such emotion whilst pumping up her bicycle’s flat tyre!

James Maud as The Mikado himself was suitably ludicrous with semaphore flags waving from his scoutmaster’s costume.

If I have one reservation about the staging, it would concern the positioning of the camp fire. Although it looks homely, it is placed too much in the centre of the stage with the effect that too much of the action is played out towards the back and this results in a lack of intimacy between the cast and audience, especially as the piano also serves to mask part of the action.

However, the greatest praise has to be reserved Richard Munday and Alan Richardson as the two lovers, Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum. Richard was suitably unconcerned at his imminent execution for the crime of flirting, and Alex showed all the mannerisms of a coy young lover. And yet they could from moment to moment reveal a touching care and romance between them. Alex reached the high notes of his songs with consummate ease.

All-in-all, the company bring a sense of fun, energy and enjoyment to what can be something of a stuffy, old fashioned musical genre. ‘G and S’ meets ‘Carry On Camping’ it may be, but it’s a joy from start to finish.

BGB