Celebrating The 80th Anniversary Of Mackay Choral Society Inc.

This is the first of three productions in Mackay Choral Society’s 80th anniversary year, for which the theme Present, Past, and Future has been adopted. Although Mackay Choral Society has performed Gilbert and Sullivan shows in the past, these have become popular again with both current members and audiences, and so this production represents the Present.

Synopsis

Since its premiere in 1885 at the Savoy Theatre in London, The Mikado (or The Town of Titipu) has become one of history's most-performed pieces of musical theatre. As with many of Gilbert and Sullivan’s productions, the show satirises 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 woman from his father’s royal court and to find and marry his 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 realises 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 characterised 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.

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The Cast And Crew

The cast members, chorus, and musicians have been busy rehearsing since January under the expert direction of musical director Nicole Thomson and the invaluable accompaniment of Professor Judith Brown AM. The production crew, led by Mackay Choral Society President Bernie Cheng, is pushing ahead with props and costumes, ready to present a polished show with wonderful singing.

What: In Celebration of their 80th Anniversary, Mackay Choral Society is proud to present The Mikado
When: Thurs 3 April at 7:30PM, Sat 5 April at 2:00PM & 7:30PM, and Sun 6 April at 2:00PM 2025
Where: CQCM Theatre, Building 21 University Drive, 151 Boundary Road, Ooralea Qld 4740
Ticket Prices: Adult $35, Concession $30, Children $20
Book at: www.trybooking.com/CYRRO or call 0422 264 397

Visit mackaychoralsociety.org.au for more information.

Contributed by Isobel Gillman

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Mackay Choral Society celebrates its 80th anniversary with The Mikado, the first of three productions reflecting the theme Present, Past, and Future, showcasing the enduring popularity of Gilbert and Sullivan’s works. Image supplied

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