The Mikado

Church Hall, Barnes

April 1953

Producer – Cyril Corker

Musical Director – Marjorie Ludlam LRAM ARCM

The Mikado, or The Town of Titipu, is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations.

It opened on March 14, 1885, in London, where it ran at the Savoy Theatre for 672 performances, which was unprecedented for musical theatre pieces, and one of the longest runs of any theatre piece up to that time. Before the end of 1885 it was estimated that, in Europe and America, at least 150 companies were producing the opera.

The Mikado remains the most frequently performed Savoy Opera, and it is especially popular with amateur and school productions. Indeed, The Mikado is one of the most frequently played musical theatre pieces in history!

This is the first BODS show where the Producer took preference over the Musical Director in the production credits.

Can you help with more information? Please send any information you have over to archives@brostc.org.

CAST

The Mikado of Japan – David Johnson

Nanki-Poo – Tony Ayers

Ko-Ko – Edward Bellamy

Pooh-Bah – John Webster

Pish-Tush – Bob Kirkby

Yum-Yum – Joan Partington

Pitti-Sing – Barbara Webster

Peep-Bo – Jill Andrews

Katisha – Margaret Brown

Chorus of School Girls, Nobles, Guards and Coolies – June Ayers, Joy Catford, Marjorie Doughty, Georgina Gray, Valerie Haynes, Eveleen Horsburgh, Doris Kemp, Lotta Mawhinney, Eena Mulligan, Maureen Mulligan, Joan Noyes, Elizabeth Rowe, Beryl Smallwood, Beryl Stare, Norah Thornton, Hilda Tyler, Daphne Wallis, Arthur Andrews, Geoffrey Bishop, David Catford, A Ferraris, H Ferraris, Richard Goodbourne, Gerald Johnson, Bernard Mitchell, Vincent Mulligan, Geoffrey Needs, Brian Orton, Richard Stringer, Michael Tanner, George Tydeman, Ian Worth

CREW

Stage Manager – Everett Reeve