Ram’s Head and the Drama department present various American plays and musicals throughout the year for the dramatic education (and general education) of the Stanford community. The Stanford Savoyards, however, add a different genre of drama into focus. For 37 years, the Savoyards have been bringing the comedic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan to Stanford stages. This weekend, they present their most successful and well-known opera, “The Mikado.”
For those of you who have never been to an opera before, “The Mikado” would not fit your general expectation of a show full of fat sopranos breaking glasses and singing in Italian. Instead, “The Mikado” is set in Japan and sung in English. As if that is not enough, there are subtitles projected onto the wall of the theater to assist with understanding of the musical. The fun and dynamic plot helps move the story along and there is plenty of unsung dialogue for those who are not totally musically inclined.
The show itself is engaging. Gilbert has a knack for stories and characters that are at ease with poking fun at politics and social constructs. The humor is a bit dated for a modern audience, but still holds applicable entertainment value. The songs and script are loaded with British anachronisms. If you are the kind of person who appreciates Victorian-era Brits imposing their humor and culture on story lines in eastern nations, then this is definitely the show for you.
As for the aesthetic of the show, it straddles the line between humorous and gaudy. The costumes and makeup are visually captivating, but sometimes seem over the top. Part of this may be to respect the style of theater this piece was written for. Part of this may be due to the fact that Stanford drama productions are taking the majority of budget cuts. Either way, the director and cast work well with what they have.
From its onset, the production is clever and endearing. Stagehands dressed as ninjas dart to and fro, chasing each other surreptitiously around the stage in a comedic fashion. Throughout the rest of the show, the stagehands darn this ninja attire and keep their countenance. The ensemble, however, doesn’t take away attention from the talent of the main cast. All of the leads are charming actors who have no problem evoking laughs from the audience. The male leads own the stage with their charisma. The show also sports a wide array of amazing singers, who were obviously cast on their singing ability and not for their coordination in dance. To be fair, the choreography wasn’t much to begin with. Ultimately, the show was delightful and fun to watch. I would highly recommend the Savoyards’ performance as a way to experience this world famous opera.
“The Mikado” will be playing in Dinkelspiel Auditorium Jan. 22 and Jan. 23 at 8:00 p.m. and Jan. 24 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students and can be purchased at the Stanford Ticket Office in Tresidder Memorial Union.