Craig Revel Horwood has taken some liberties with Gilbert and Sullivan's hit musical, but his new version of the Hot Mikado provides an evening of great fun and delightfully zany routines.
The criticism Craig receives on the TV show Strictly Come
Dancing seems unjust when you see how he has transformed this famous comic opera with his excellent choreography and direction.
All our favourite songs are still there, but lyrics have been updated to refer to Susan Boyle and an MP with a duckhouse! It's superbly adapted by David Bell and Rob Bowman.
Horwood revealed it was hard to find multi talented performers, yet he has done just that with a superb cast who act, play musical instruments and dance to a mixture of swing, Motown and gospel.
And the cast sing Horwood's praises for incorporating their ideas.
Jeffrey Harmer and Karen Mann excel as Ko-Ko and Katisha, especially with their rendition of Tit-Willow.
Abiona Omonua and Dominic Tighe play frustrated lovers, kept apart by fate, and Cassie Pearson provides the powerful vocals that drive the musical numbers to new heights, while wearing a stunning white leather catsuit or shorts.
Julian Littman takes on the multiple personalities of Pooh-Bah and Melanie Marshall adds a twist as a female playing Mikado.
Written by Heather Flood
