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Joseph
Sirota
of Easy Reader
HOT
MIKADO.. Turned Up to Broil
The four most frequently heard words as the large opening night crowd left Long Beach's Carpenter Center exuberantly, (despite facing a cold, rainy night), were "What a great show!". As a Gilbert & Sullivan fan, and knowing Musical Theatre West's Carpenter Center productions are consistently high quality, I expected this Southern California premier of the swinging/ jazzy adaptation, Hot Mikado to be a fun, entertaining evening. But it's far more than a "good" show. Hot Mikado turns out to be a tour de force blend of Gilbert and Sullivan's lilting melodies and charmingly biting anti-castes social satire, plus extremely well adapted swing/jazz/scat/gospel/blues/zoot-suit hip/cool characters and tempos. The result has to be seen to be fully appreciated Ð all the timeless wit, wisdom and melodies of the original is newly hot-wired by supercharged modified "Hipster" dialog, driving musical arrangements and sizzling choreography -- yielding a jump-and-jivey boogie beat show that not only has a brain, but has soul, -- and lots of it.
We
still have the endearing little town of Nanki-Poo bowing and revering(overtly,
anyway) its codified Japanese very "ordered" rules of conduct Ð and of laws
Ð which ultimately all flow down from the head honcho, The Mikado himself.
And as everyone's goal is to keep this main-dude happy and in a non-beheading
mindset , they've become a by the book in name only society Ð with a million
little "end-arounds" by the local "officials" to keep things(and cash flow)
moving, and avoid just about everyone being beheaded due to breaking some
over-strict, under-thought-out lawÑlike "flirting"(oh MyÑthe heads would
roll if fully enforced). As a welcome reflection of Gilbert and Sullivan's
recurrent theme of avoiding social class prejudices, this show is a wonderfully
mixture of all races, ages, shapes and sizes- unified by TALENT.
We still have our underlying love quadrangle -- Wandering Minstrel(a jazz-hornist, here), Nanki-Poo(a marvelously all around singer/dancer/handsomely comedic David Burnham Ð who wants to marry lovely Yum-Yum( sexy, pure-voiced, highly radiant Jennifer Shelton), but is pledged to unlovely but court royalty Katisha (absolutely dazzlingly play by Carol Dennis, who, in a style reminiscent of Nell Carter just sets the stage afire with mega-voice, gospel/blues-tinged vocals and a presence that just doesn't quit). The fourth intertwined would-be lover is Ko-Ko, the irresistibly timid Lord High Executioner who wouldn't hurt a flea, but will himself be axed if his "headcount" remains zero. Jamie Torcellini is a Ko-Ko so perfect and armed with a million masterful takes, moves and comic dance/vocal chops that you gotta' love the little guy.
The remaining cast members are drop-dead-great as well(not a slacker in the lot). Candice Oden and Staci Wilson as Yum-Yum's best pals are both terrific singer/dancers, with Oden's vocal power and comic dance moves, stealing many a moment. LaParee W. Young Ð who does a thoroughly award-winning job as director(flawless!!), also dons zoot-suit to play the pivotal role of ultra-cool Pooh-bah to a delightful "T". And let us never forget, the Big-Guy, himself, The Mikado, played with terpsichorean splendor, by spectacular hoofer/tapper Greg Poland, --more than strong vocally and a tornado of energy, too.
The staging reveals imagination, class and pulling out all stops to make the show unforgettable. Director-LaParee W. Young, Choreographer-Sean McKnight, Musical Director- Lloyd Cooper, Lighting Master-Steven Young, Costumer-Todd Proto, and Sound Designer-Julie Ferrin combine with the cast and fine live orchestra to create a show of countless show-stopping numbers and wonderful, funny moments. I doubt we'll see anything any better in the musical comedy realm than this ultra-hot, and ultra-lovable, HOT MIKADO.
É HOT
MIKADO.. ignites the Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 East Atherton
St, Long Beach. Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. Matinees Saturdays
and Sundays at 2 p.m. One added performance Sunday, 2/29 at 7 p.m. Closes
March 7.
2/25/04
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