Our 49^th annual production was Gilbert & Sullivan's ever-popular The Mikado. Surprisingly perhaps, given the operetta's status as the most widely-performed work in the G&S canon, this was only the third time that it has been presented by the Players (the previous occasion was 25 years ago, in 1976). It was nearly our choice for 1999, but was beaten into second place by The Grand Duke.

The show was a sell-out every night and the audience response was superb. Read the local paper's review below!

The Mikado of Japan has decreed that all men accused of flirting should be instantly beheaded. Alarmed, the citizens of Titipu enact an ingenious plan and appoint as Lord High Executioner an insignificant tailor (Ko-Ko) who has himself been condemned to death for flirting,.

Nanki-Poo, heir to the throne, has fallen in love with Yum-Yum, Ko-Ko's ward. Katisha, an elderly and fearsome lady at the Mikado's Court, loves him in turn. In order to escape Katisha's clutches, and to seek Yum-Yum, Nanki-Poo travels to Titipu disguised as a wandering minstrel. On arrival, he discovers that Yum-Yum is due to be married that very day to Ko-Ko. Distraught, he decides to commit suicide.

The Mikado notices that no executions have occurred in Titipu for over a year and sends orders that, unless an execution is held soon, the post of Lord High Executioner will be abolished and the town reduced to the rank of a village. Pooh-Bah and Pish-Tush tell Ko-Ko that unless he can find a substitute, he had better get on and execute himself - after all, he is the only one already under sentence of death! Ko-Ko persuades Nanki-Poo to be the ceremonial victim, as he intends to die anyway, but is forced to concede to Nanki-Poo's final request: to marry Yum-Yum for one month before his execution. All goes well until Katisha arrives from Court and threatens to expose Nanki-Poo's true identity to the citizens. She is foiled by the citizens and storms off, vowing revenge.

Yum-Yum's wedding day dawns but her joy is more than a little tempered by the thought that in one month Nanki-Poo must be beheaded. Ko-Ko adds to their unhappiness by revealing that, by law, when a married man is beheaded his wife must be buried alive. Realising that he cannot marry Yum-Yum under such circumstances, Nanki-Poo demands that Ko-Ko behead him on the spot. Ko-Ko panics and reveals himself as being quite incapable of hurting anyone, far less executing them.

Soon the Mikado himself is seen approaching. Thinking he has come to see if an execution has taken place, Ko-Ko, Pooh-Bah and Pitti-Sing quickly invent the details of a supposed execution and as evidence give the Mikado Nanki-Poo's formal death certificate. The Mikado is suitably impressed with the explanation and does not look at the certificate. He has in fact come on a different matter - he is searching for his son. At this point Katisha discovers Nanki-Poo's name on the certificate and the Mikado condemns all three conspirators to death for executing the heir to the throne.

In desperation, Ko-Ko pleads with Nanki-Poo to re-appear before his father. Nanki-Poo declines as if he does so, Katisha will claim him as her own. If, however, she is already betrothed to someone else, he will gladly "return to life" and save the conspirators' lives. Ko-Ko realises that his only hope of survival is to woo and marry Katisha himself ...

GEISHAS
Janette Faulkner, Jane McDonald, Helen Rae, Sarah Robinson.

SCHOOLGIRLS and CHAPERONES
Sandra Bloxham, Pauline Brimble, Anne Charleston, Josie Childs, Gwenneth Clarke, Sue Coleman,
Rachel Fortescue, Lesley Heighton, Gill Himan, Jo Holroyd, Gill Horton, Christl Hughes, Patricia Johnson.

ATTENDANTS
Nick Faulkner, David McDonald

CITIZENS OF TITIPU
Richard Blackman, John Bramley-Brown, Peter Charleston, Alan Gale, Keith Goode, Trevor Harvey,
Brian Moore, Paul Nicholls, Geoff Orrill, David Robinson, Richard Smithson, Ian White, Frank Williams.

OLD FAVOURITE PLEASES
(review in the Leicester Mercury, 4 April 2001)

The production this year from Leicester Operatic Players is that most favourite of Gilbert and Sullivan operas, The Mikado. What an excellent presentation this is. The plot is well known and the writing of that consummate wordsmith W S Gilbert second to none. Combined with Sir Arthur Sullivan's tunefully crafted music, a complete evening's entertainment of fun, beauty and enjoyment is assured.

The words were brought right up to date, mentioning the forthcoming election, sleazy politicians, and so on.

The cast delivered superb performances. Yum-Yum (Judy Dodd) sang "The Sun Whose Rays"; there was the quartet "Brightly Dawns our Wedding Day" involving Yum-Yum and Nanki-Poo (David Drain). But the star performances came from Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner, alias David Lovell, whose singing and movements were splendid, and Katisha (Ethne Goode), the elderly ugly lady with the beautiful elbow!

Sets and lighting were very effective and costumes really colourful. A point to note is that the orchestra did not overpower the singers - a regular point of criticism. (Joyce Parkin)