Overview
Synopsis
Since its premiere in 1885 at the Savoy Theatre in London, The Mikado (or The Town of Titipu) has become one of the most-performed pieces of musical theatre in history. As with many of Gilbert and Sullivan’s productions, the show satirizes aspects of Victorian Britain’s politics and aristocracy; in The Mikado, however, the duo cleverly cloaked these criticisms behind a charming story set not in Britain, but in exotic Japan. Nanki-Poo, the son of the Mikado (the Japanese emperor), has fled in disguise to avoid marrying a much older suitor, and to find and marry his own beloved, the beautiful Yum-Yum. Yum-Yum, however, is the ward of Ko-Ko, the lord high executioner, and has become betrothed to him against her will. In the meantime, Ko-Ko finds his job difficult to carry out as the Mikado puts pressure on him to fulfill his quota of killings, but the executioner realizes he is too soft-hearted to kill anyone. His solution is to trade a month of marriage to Yum-Yum for Nanki-Poo’s life (though he only pretends to kill him), but, of course, the plan backfires as Ko-Ko finds himself subject to capital punishment for allegedly killing the Mikado’s son. As usual in Gilbert’s imaginative plots, the tangled web unravels, and everyone lives happily ever after. This complex satire is characterized by the clever wordplay, memorable tunes, and endearing characters that have allowed Gilbert and Sullivan’s popularity with audiences to endure for well over a century.
Show Information
- Book
- W.S. Gilbert
- Music
- Arthur Sullivan
- Lyrics
- W.S. Gilbert
- Category
- Operetta
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1885
- Genres
- Comedy
- Settings
- Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- mid-1800s, titipu, japan
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Medium
- Dancing
- Musical Staging
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Performance History
The Mikado, one of Gilbert and Sullivan's most famous operettas, premiered on March 14, 1885, at the Savoy Theatre in London. It was the ninth collaboration between composer Arthur Sullivan and librettist W.S. Gilbert, and it quickly became a staple of the musical theater repertoire.
Upon its premiere, The Mikado received a warm reception from both audiences and critics. It ran for 672 performances at the Savoy Theatre, a remarkable feat at the time, reflecting its
to read the context for The Mikado and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
As act one opens, residents of the fictitious Japanese town of Tipitu gather together (“If you want to know who we are”). Nanki-Poo, the son of the royal mikado, arrives in Titipu disguised as a peasant and introduces himself (“A Wandering Minstrel, I”). Without telling the truth about who he is, Nanki-Poo explains that several months earlier he had fallen in love with school-girl Yum-Yum. However he discovered that she was already betrothed to Ko-Ko, a cheap tailor, and he
to read the plot for The Mikado and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
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|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
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|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Alto |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either or Both |
Variety |
Songs
- · Overture (Includes "Mi-ya Sa-ma", "The Sun Whose Rays Are All Ablaze", "There is Beauty in the Bellow of the Blast", "Braid the Raven Hair" and "With Aspect Stern and Gloomy Stride")
Act One
- 1. "If you want to know who we are" (Chorus of Men)
- 2. "A Wand'ring Minstrel I" (Nanki-Poo and Men)
- 3. "Our Great Mikado, virtuous man" (Pish-Tush and Men)
- 4. "Young man, despair" (Pooh-Bah, Nanki-Poo and Pish-Tush)
- 4a. Recit., "And have I journey'd for a month" (Pooh-Bah, Nanki-Poo)
- 5. "Behold the Lord High Executioner" (Ko-Ko and Men)
- 5a. "As some day it may happen" ("I've Got a Little List") (Ko-Ko and Men)
- 6. "Comes a train of little ladies" (Girls)
- 7. "Three little maids from school are we" (Yum-Yum, Peep-Bo, Pitti-Sing, and Girls)
- 8. "So please you, Sir, we much regret" (Yum-Yum, Peep-Bo, Pitti-Sing, Pooh-Bah, and Girls)
- 9. "Were you not to Ko-Ko plighted" (Yum-Yum and Nanki-Poo)
- 10. "I am so proud" (Pooh-Bah, Ko-Ko and Pish-Tush)
- 11. Finale Act I (Ensemble)
- "With aspect stern and gloomy stride"
- "The threatened cloud has passed away"
- "Your revels cease!" ... "Oh fool, that fleest my hallowed joys!"
- "For he's going to marry Yum-Yum"
- "The hour of gladness" ... "O ni! bikkuri shakkuri to!"
- "Ye torrents roar!"
Act Two
- 12. "Braid the raven hair" (Pitti-Sing and Girls)
- 13. "The sun whose rays are all ablaze" (Yum-Yum)
- 14. Madrigal, "Brightly dawns our wedding day" (Yum-Yum, Pitti-Sing, Nanki-Poo and Pish-Tush)
- 15. "Here's a how-de-do" (Yum-Yum, Nanki-Poo and Ko-Ko)
- 16. "Mi-ya Sa-ma” / From every kind of man obedience I expect" (Mikado, Katisha, Chorus)
- 17. "A more humane Mikado" (Mikado, Chorus)
- 18. "The criminal cried as he dropped him down" (Ko-Ko, Pitti-Sing, Pooh-Bah, Chorus)
- 19. "See how the Fates their gifts allot" (Mikado, Pitti-Sing, Pooh-Bah, Ko-Ko and Katisha)
- 20. "The flowers that bloom in the spring" (Nanki-Poo, Ko-Ko, Yum-Yum, Pitti-Sing, and Pooh-Bah)
- 21. Recit. and song, "Alone, and yet alive" (Katisha)
- 22. "On a tree by a river" ("Willow, tit-willow") (Ko-Ko)
- 23. "There is beauty in the bellow of the blast" (Katisha and Ko-Ko)
- 24. "Finale Act II" (Ensemble)
- "For he's gone and married Yum-Yum"
- "The threatened cloud has passed away"
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
References a singer who has what has been considered a more classical approach to singing.
A short and usually humorous opera, generally incorporating more spoken dialogue than traditional opera.
Description of material not protected by copyright law.
A form of comedy that presents ridiculous extremes in order to make a point about society or human nature.
Relating to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) or a person who lived in the Victorian era.
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