Plenty of song, comedy and colour - it's The Mikado

JEFFREY DAVIES chats with mezzo soprano Louise Crane as the multi-talented Opera della Luna returns to the Theatre Royal in Bath next week with a Gilbert and Sullivan classic comic opera

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HIGHLY acclaimed Opera della Luna returns to Bath next week with its most colourful and popular production ever; Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera in two acts, The Mikado (or The Town of Titipu).

This hilarious tale of love, corruption in local government, marriage and heroics has been translated to the zany world of modern fashion houses. With costumes inspired by Versace and Jean Paul Gaultier, it promises "a riot of gorgeous and bizarre creations with stunning gowns, glorious singing and the company's inimitable brand of mad-cap humour".

The Mikado's sparklingly clever story, with twists and turns in every scene, brings to life some of Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular characters from Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner to Pooh-Bah, Nanki-Poo and the three little maids.

Louise Crane, who plays the roles of Peep-Bo and Katisha, is joined by Steve Watts as The Mikado of Japan and Pish-Tush, Matthew Scott-Clark as Ko-Ko, Robert Forrest as Nanki-Poo, Carl Sanderson as Pooh-Bah, Kelli-Ann Masterson as Yum-Yum, and Lynsey Docherty as Pitti-Sing.

Performed without a chorus, Opera della Luna's multi-talented cast of seven singers and actors is accompanied by the company's own chamber instrumental ensemble.

"Opera della Luna's most colourful and popular production ever." What exactly can audiences expect with this production of the classic operetta The Mikado?

"They can expect a high-energy and colourful production. There's only seven of us in the cast so we're all-singing and all-dancing, with many of us playing more than one role. We're part of an ensemble and we all cover all of the principal roles between us so if you're not on the stage you are normally changing costume, changing wig and changing shoes," a most welcoming Louise Crane told me.