The Mikado

By Laila Nasry

I'm not sexist but I always felt that it was easier for girls to adapt to male roles rather than boys playing female roles. Well, I couldn't have been more wrong. Watching the Josephians strut around stage in fitted kimonos, coiffured hair and sock clad feet, in the most feminine manner had me convinced.

An adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan's 'The Mikado' (or The Town of Titipu) presented by the English Literary Association together with the Western Choir of St. Josephs College Colombo, as part of the Josephian millennium calendar, ran for enthusiastic audiences from June 1-4 at the Lionel Wendt.

The audience was treated to lusty singing and good acting. It was a young, clever cast which successfully brought out the mock-seriousness of the play. The main characters were strong and very well portrayed with Ko-Ko played by Shemal Fernando and Pooh-Bah (Ruveen Dias) standing out. Rajiv Ponweera as Nanki- Poo was the typical lover pining for his fair maiden, the lithe and towards the end blithe Yum-Yum (Angelo de Silva)who supported him well.

Katisha the old woman, double chin and all, who was in love with Nanki Poo heightened the love tangle with a good performance which won him applause in the end.

The main roles were well backed by the rest of the cast. Each member of the cast had a role to play and added to the completion of the entire production.

The chorus of girls deserve a special mention. It was sheer delight watching them fluttering on and off stage in true Japanese style. The costumes were an added attraction to the play complementing their performance.

The play had its fair share of humour. The audience was in fits of laughter with its apt 'adaptation' which ensured timely quirks which poked fun at some key figures in our present times like the competent authorit. Though at times the singing deluded the audience from catching some of the lines nevertheless it was a wonderful effort and three cheers go out to the cast, director Indu Dharmasena, Soundarie David for her superb choral direction and all those who helped to make it a success.

Go to the TV Times

Return to Mirror Magazine Contents