Three Mikados

Three Mikados
Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2017. Dunstan Playhouse. June 11 & 12, 2017

Three Mikados is an absolute delight. Three actors attempt to do a 70-minute version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado, playing and sharing all the roles – plus a wayward spear-carrier. They are led by the popular comedian Colin Lane, whose ego starts to run hysterically out of control from the very beginning.

The drama and the fun comes from the drive to get the show done, as well as combat Lane’s ego. His colleagues are the often bewildered and hilariously funny David Collins and Amy G. These dynamically creative and expressive actors are continually transforming into other characters, endeavouring to keep the show moving and to exert a firm presence in the face of Mr Lane’s producer-director-‘star’. It is simply dazzling.

The show did run a little longer than 70 minutes, primarily due this performance being the first time the actors had actually done the show in front of a ‘live’ audience. ‘Not bad for two days rehearsal’ was a comment made a number of times. However, the seeming anarchy and improvisational aspect of the performance only added to the fun.

On one meta-theatrical level, this show could be subtitled ‘3 Actors in Search of Role’ as the overall narrative, putting on The Mikado, is constantly interrupted by numerous comic devices; such as David Collins and Amy G suddenly having to audition for a particular role in a mock-like professional manner. David Collins, however, has his revenge and in-turn auditions Colin Lane in the later-half of the show.

The selected songs from The Mikado are performed in a variety of ‘musical theatre’ styles, including a ‘gospel’ finale. I was not completely convinced by this satiric mish-mash of styles, but it did complement the overall zaniness of this show. The ‘theatre of anarchy’ is something of a rarity these days, and this show definitely has an ‘anarchy’ aspect that is terrific fun, primarily because it is so unpredictable as to how these actors manage to present the Three Mikados. Highly recommended.

Tony Knight

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