Metro Theatre presents Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera, The Mikado from April 5 to May 3

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Photo Credit: Tracy-Lynn Chernaske

Metro Theatre presents The Mikado April 5 to May 3 –  Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic comic opera graces Metro Theatre’s stage this spring

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My Review

Menage-a-quatre anyone?  In Gilbert & Sullivan’s Mikado its love’s bizarre triangle where girl meets boy and boy must marry girl but boy escapes girl to meet another girl who has to marry another boy… are you confused yet?

It’s where love and politics mix and utter mayhem ensues into whimsical humor and lighthearted medleys of sing song that makes you want to tra-la-la-along.

winemetroEvery village has an idiot and Lord High Executioner Ko-Ko (Russell Cripps) takes the rice cake as he randomly interprets the law, which in turns takes his ward, Yum-Yum (Laura Luongo) and Nanki-Poo (Thomas Lamont) on a love merry-go-round that will make your head spin and your body shake with laughter.

By the way, there’s a live orchestra to accompany the melodic rantings of the cast and at intermission, a wine bar upstairs to refresh your other senses. Don’t miss the Mikado, its only performing until May 3.

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Summary

The Mikado is a comic opera written in the 19th century by the famous collaborators W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. A satire of English society in its day, the story is set to lush music and in an exotic – if not fictional – land, making it as delightful to listen to as it is to watch.

This classic production has been a crowd-pleaser for over 120 years, and is on stage at Metro Theatre from April 5 to May 3.

With comical characters, witty satire, an exotic setting and gorgeous score, The Mikado opened in March 1885 in London where it ran for 672 performances. It was the second longest run for any work of musical theatre and one of the longest runs of any theatre production up to that time. To this day, it remains one of the most frequently performed Savoy Operas.

Director Alison Schamberger is excited to present this classic opera to Vancouver audiences this spring. She beams as she tells of her history with Gilbert and Sullivan productions: “Having grown up in the UK and been an active member of the Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group for five years, I had the chance to perform in many Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, but The Mikado wasn’t one of them. So this is, in some ways, undiscovered territory to me.”

When asked what gives The Mikado its staying power throughout the ages, Schamberger says, “It has something for everyone: music, comedy, romance, drama and beautiful costumes, all played out against the background of a gorgeous palace.” The Mikado has been compared to Jonathan Swift’s clever Gulliver’s Travels, in that its story is a satire of English society, set against a fictional and faraway land.

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The Mikado is directed by Alison Schamberger, musically directed by Spencer Bach, choreographed by Dawn Ewen, stage managed by Al Zylstra, and starring:

 Thomas Lamont as Nanki-Poo
 Russell Cripps as Ko-Ko
 Jonathan Ichikawa as Pooh-Bah
 Andrew Sammons as Pish-Tush
 Eric Biskupski as The Mikado
 Laura Luongo as Yum-Yum
 Vanessa Coley-Donohue as Pitti-Sing
 Jennifer Moran as Peep-Bo
 Cathy Wilmot as Katisha

Metro Theatre is proud to present The Mikado April 5 to May 3, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8pm, with two Sunday matinées at 2:30pm on April 13 and 27.

Tickets are $35 for adults or $30 for students and seniors.

Details of the run:

  • Tickets are $35 for adults or $30 for seniors and students.
  • Tickets to the preview performance are just $18. The preview is on Friday, April 4, and is the cast and crew’s final dress rehearsal before the show opens on the 5th.
  • Tickets are available through box office at 604-266-7191 or online at Eventbrite.ca.
  • Metro Theatre is located at 1370 SW Marine Drive in Vancouver.

Links:

The Mikado Facebook event page
Metro’s website – The Mikado post
Metro’s website – homepage
Metro Theatre’s location on Google Maps
Metro’s website – reviews of our shows
Eventbrite site to purchase tickets to all Metro shows

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ABOUT METRO THEATRE
Metro Theatre (The Metropolitan Cooperative Theatre Society) is a registered non-profit cooperative society, and is fuelled by volunteers. Its mission is to promote and develop theatre arts on a non-professional level.

Metro Theatre was created in 1962, and has produced more than 480 shows, including nearly 50 musicals, over the past 50 years. Sometimes referred to as the “humble little theatre,” Metro ironically has over 300 seats and puts on eight shows a year, more than all other non-professional theatre companies in North America and many professional ones.

Metro Theatre is wheelchair-accessible and provides assisted-listening devices upon request. It offers season subscriptions as well as individual reservations online and at the door.

Metro is located at 1370 SW Marine Drive, at the base of the Arthur Laing Bridge in Vancouver. It’s accessible by transit, and has free and paid parking nearby.

Box office phone: 604-266-7191
Website: metrotheatre.com
Facebook: Metro Theatre Vancouver
Twitter: @metrotheatre

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