Mikado flirts about at the Mendelssohn

By Rosemary Metz

Daily Arts Writer

The city of Titipu, despite its alluring name, cannot be found on any map of Japan. However, Titipu is the location for one of the most popular and uproarious musical creations of W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, "The Mikado." Presented by the University's Gilbert and Sullivan Society, the show is part of their twice yearly re-visit to the G&S canon.

The highly improbable story line revolves around an ancient Japanese edict that forbade male flirting. If such a flirter were arrested, he would be given the choice to marry the object of his flirtation, or to be beheaded. Nanki-Poo, the son of the Mikado (the Emperor) is accused of flirting with an elderly court lady, Katisha. His aversion to marriage to this woman prompts Nanki-Poo to run away from his father and join the Titipu town band. While in the band, he meets and falls in love with Yum-Yum, who is not free to marry, as she is the ward of Ko-Ko, the town tailor.

In this complicated and twisting plot, Ko-Ko has been elevated by the Mikdo to the position of Lord High Executioner, and plans to marry Yum-Yum himself. An execution is feigned, since another ancient Japanese law is uncovered which dictates that, in the case of a beheaded spouse, his wife must be buried alive. The course of true love never runs smooth, as this play graphically points out. But in the end, these insurmountable conflicts become resolved, resulting in an exultant finale.

Director Margie Warrick recalled a "jinx" that has seemed to accompany this production in UMGASS history. When "The Mikado" was initially presented in 1947 as the very first play performed by UMGASS, the actress portraying Yum Yum phoned in on opening night to tell the director that she would be attending a fraternity party and could not appear that evening. The result of that conversation has been "lost in antiquity," Warrick said. In November 1963, the production was cancelled due to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The current cast hasn't allowed this troubled history to worry them. Warrick laughed and said "it's only a jinx, right?"

Warrick serves as president of the Friends of the G & S Society in Ann Arbor, which was formed in 1963 following the financially disastrous cancellation of "The Mikado." Warrick proudly points out that all UMGASS production casts are composed of students and local residents. More than half of the membership has been dedicated to students, thus retaining the traditional "Town and Gown" flavor of productions.

For this particular production of "The Mikado," costume designer Marilyn Gouin has created striking stage apparel. Teal, aquamarine maroon costumes catch the eye in the opening scene as the male chorus sing about the flirtation edict. Female characters wear silken kimonos in pale pastels with delicate flowery etchings. All of these effects combine to bring to life, again, a musical story of events in the imaginary town of Titipu.