The Mikado
Written by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan
Adapted and Directed by Sean Graney
at Steppenwolf Garage, 1624 N. Halsted (map)
thru Dec 29 | tickets: $36 | more info
Check for half-price tickets
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A cunningly raucous Gilbert & Sullivan holiday romp
The Hypocrites presents
The Mikado
Review by Lawrence Bommer
The moment you enter the Steppenwolf Garage, you’ve plunged into Michael Smallwood’s rambunctious big top, with the clown-like cast cavorting like manic tricksters on the loose. True to the satirically subversive soul of the Savoy operas by Gilbert and Sullivan, Sean Graney’s circus-set adaptation, condensed without consequences to 80 minutes, is a two-ring, audience-interactive romp. Exuberant as the
Notwithstanding some witty anachronisms, the topsy-turvy plot remains intact, with no toxic campiness to spoil the fun: Disguised as a mandolinist, Nanki-Poo, the runaway son of the Mikado, wins the hand of the demure ingénue Yum Yum, thwarting her unhappy engagement to Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner and former tailor and associate with Pooh-Bah, the indescribably snobbish Lord High Everything Else. Nanki-Poo is fleeing his own entanglement—with plug-ugly Katisha, a court lady turned stalker (who vaguely resembles the equally repellent Sarah Palin). Everything goes wonderfully awry when the Emperor of Japan himself appears, intent on tracking down his errant heir, with Katisha eager to reclaim her prey.
Popping like the balloons that strew the stage, Gilbert’s merry plot graciously unfolds Sullivan’s ever-infectious melodies. The supple ensemble doubles as musicians as well as carnie performers on the Midway. Interestingly Emily Casey plays both The Mikado and salacious Yum-Yum, while Shawn Pfautsch brings an ardent tenor to Nanki-Poo (complete with deliberately phony British accent) and offers a surprisingly tender take on Katisha, warmly warbling her second-act aria “Hearts do not break.”
 
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The circus backdrop nicely enlivens the pell-mell proceedings, with the supposedly restless audience moving about like gawkers under the imaginary canvas. It’s not your usual holiday show, but this archly modern “Mikado” fits the season like dangling mistletoe and very stuffed stockings.
Rating: ★★★
The Mikado continues through December 29th at Steppenwolf Garage, 1624 N. Halsted (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays 4pm. Tickets are $36, and are available by phone (312-335-1650) or online through Steppenwolf.org (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at The-Hypocrites.com. (Running time: 80 minutes, no intermission)
Photos by Matthew Gregory Hollis
artists
cast
Robert McLean (Ko-Ko), Matt Kahler (Pooh Bah), Christine Stulik (Pitti-Sing), Zeke Sulkes (Pish-Tush), Shawn Pfautsch (Nanki-Poo, Katisha), Emily Casey (The Mikado, Yum-Yum), Dana Omar (Peep-Bo), Erik Schroeder, Jim DeSelm, Kate Carson-Groner, Lauren Vogel (ensemble)
behind the scenes
Sean Graney (director), Michael Smallwood (set design), Maria DeFabo (props design), Heather Gilbert (lighting design), Katie Spelman (choreography), Alison Siple (costume design), Andra Velis Simon (music director), Matthew Gregory Hollis (photos)
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