The Mikado (1996 TV Movie) User Reviews

My least favourite of the three but still entertaining

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 1 June 2011]

The same Esgee company who did this production also did The Pirates of Penzance and HMS Pinafore, both of which I liked more. Not that the Mikado was bad or anything like it, but pace wise it doesn't have the energy of especially HMS Pinafore. This is mostly because there are some jokes and gags that are rather drawn out and one or two of them, such as the nose mucus, don't quite work.

That said, a lot of the dialogue is very funny, the best coming from Ko-Ko, though Po-Bah(with the arguments between him and the conductor this time about notes) and the Singing Singlettes have their moments too. This despite the flaws is an entertaining production with very nice oriental-looking set and costume design. The G&S tunes, arranged and conducted very interestingly for synthesised band, are outstanding, the choreography refreshing and energetic and the story while dragging a tad in spots is fun.

The cast like Pirates and Pinafore do give it their all. Derek Metzger is a dashing Nanki-Poo, and Terri Crouch is an alluring Yum-Yum even if her accent crept in a lot. David Gould is imposing in the titular role, and Bev Schean as Katisha cuts a fine figure on stage and possesses a very limpid alto voice. The three Singing Singlettes are a lot of fun, and while his material wasn't as funny as it was in Pirates Jon English has his moments as Po-Bah. This time though, it was Drew Forsythe who really captivated, his comic timing is just superb.

All in all, entertaining. 8/10 Bethany Cox

After All It Is A Comedy

[pretty_lil_kitten · 10/10 · 7 January 2006]

Great Entertainment, Fun For All Ages.

Ever tried taking teenagers to an Opera??? This bring youth and culture together, showing that a bunch of men wearing strange, not 100% what i would call Japanese style clothes, yet the story of the Mikado is still there, It's interesting, and Funny, It's a comedy, not a straight opera though there are still the vitals there.

In the recording, People have criticized about lacking in performance and over-doing comical scenes, I found nothing wrong with there performance, i feel they are all still pumped and giving a great show. If some people say this it may be due to the time when the Video/DVD was filmed as it was late in the New Zealand run. But I saw it live and they were just brilliant and i see every aspect of that in the DVD.

It's not that bad

[yum-yum_is_my_heroine · 6/10 · 21 May 2006]

"The Mikado" was the last of the Essgee shows that I saw (the other two being "Pirates" and "Pinafore") and I have to admit that this is the worst of the three. I don't believe that it's horrible or anything, it's just nowhere near as fast-paced or entertaining as "Pirates" or "Pinafore" was. The jokes about nose mucus and various entertainers and politicians who were in the headlines at the time are quite slow and drawn-out but they did jog my memory about current events in 1995 and 1996. Terri Crouch's Kiwi accent lets her down a bit. I'm not prejudiced against New Zealand people because Derek Metzger is from New Zealand too and I like his voice. He is a better actor than Simon Gallaher (the Australian 'Nanki-Poo') but Gallaher has a better voice, especially when it comes to hitting the higher notes. Also, Helen Donaldson (Australian 'Yum-Yum') is a much better actor and singer than Terri Crouch. On the whole, the show is relatively entertaining and the sort of video you pull out on a rainy day but it is nowhere near as good as "Pirates" pr "Pinafore".

This is the show for you

[Gyran · 1/10 · 13 December 2005]

I came to this film expecting it to be every bit as bad as the same company's HMS Pinafore but I was wrong. It is worse, much worse. I took a lot of stick for my criticism of Pinafore, the gist of it being that it was good, clean family fun and served as a suitable introduction to opera for the young. Both films are currently showing on Sky's Artsworld channel. Artsworld are brazenly promoting them, praising the cast for its "infectious energy and enthusiasm". Sky's own magazine published a letter this month from a sycophantic viewer, praising the operas and begging for more. Well, as a reviewer, it teaches me an important lesson, There are no absolutes in film criticism, one person's rubbish is another person's masterpiece. IMDb is a vibrant testimony to this principle. One only has to look at some of the ecstatic reviews of Plan 9 From Outer Space on this site to see what I mean.

This film of The Mikado was recorded live in Auckland, New Zealand in 1996, although the cast seem to consist mainly of former stars of Australian soaps. The singing is of a low standard but this hardly matters since it is continually interrupted by slapstick buffoonery. The orchestra consists of three keyboards, two percussion and a bass and everything is performed with a disco beat. The level of humour never gets above the crotch. In fact, it could be said that the crotch is the leitmotif of this opera. If you think crotches and bottoms are funny, this is the show for you.

The piece starts with the chorus singing "If you want to know who we are, we are gentlemen of Japan". This is useful information because they look, for all the world like Maoris in cycle shorts. They duly twirl round and wiggle their bottoms at the audience. This is followed by Pooh-Bah, played by the repulsive Jon English. Every time he mentions the heroine, Yum Yum, he has to buckle his knees and wiggle his crotch while groaning "Whoaaa". For elegant relief he is also fond of lifting his leg in the air accompanied by a flatus-passing sound. However, Jon English is Mr Charisma in comparison to the odious Drew Forsythe, who squeaks and gurgles his way through the role of Ko-Ko. Unaccountably, he wears a Little Miss Muffet costume and, yes, you've guessed it, he's fond of scratching his crotch. A trio billed as The Fabulous Singlettes then bump and grind their way through Three Little Maids before giving a caterwauling rendition of Braid the Raven Hair. David Gould plays the Mikado in a Gary Glitter costume and seems over-fond of waving the tassel on his codpiece. Still, I would not like to give you the impression that all the attempts at humour revolve around bottoms and crotches: there is a lengthy sequence where Ko-Ko blows his nose and then tries to get rid of the resulting bogy by smearing it over Nanki-Poo and Pooh-Bah.

Well, if you think this is the way to introduce young people to opera, this is the show for you. Sadly WS Gilbert's wonderful lyrics get lost in all this. In fact the egregious Drew Forsythe is given the main writing credit. His version of "I've got a little list" is profoundly embarrassing. WS Gilbert is reduced to second billing. Gilbert's lyrics to this opera are so musical that they scarcely need a composer "To sit in solemn silence in a dull, dark dock, in a pestilential prison with a life-long lock, awaiting the sensation of a short sharp shock, from a cheap and chippy chopper on a big black block" practically sets itself to music. Nevertheless, Sullivan produced his best score for this piece. When performed with a disco beat it is actually slower and less rhythmical than Sullivan's original. Everyone associated with this film should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. From a long list of guilty men, the greatest opprobrium must go to Kevin Hocking who (presumably) has some musical training and is responsible for the cacophonous arrangement and the conducting..

In short, if you are the person who drives past my house with your car windows wide open and your stereo going Thump, Thump, Thump… this is the show for you.