Mr. Otter and I were wandering through our local Emporium du Media, and I spotted this in a bin...we were so thrilled to see it (our copy is a 20 year old bad grainy video that we taped the one time it was broadcast) that we actually PAID FULL PRICE for it. Unheard of. But worth it.

This is a fine production of The Mikado. Unlike most performances of this operetta, this one is set in a hotel in a 20s English seaside town, which not only lends itself to wonderful extravagances of costume, but also to the overall coolness of black-and-white effects in costume and scenery.

Eric Idle (whose name is PROMINENT on the DVD, since he's the only person in the production that most people (including this otter) have ever heard of) does a fine job as Ko-Ko, cheap tailor turned Lord High Executioner. This is a role that doesn't require a good singing voice, thank goodness, but he's adept at the patter songs and also at the comedy, and is a great deal of fun to watch.

As are most of the performers. This is the only production in which Pish-Tush actually is noticeable amonng the other singers, and has a personality. Katisha is brilliant, and actually there isn't a clunker in the bunch, rare thing that that is. There is lots of stuff going on in the background...not so much as to distract from the singers, but noticeable nonetheless. And because it's the 80s, and made for TV, they use a few special effects that are not really needed, but are amusing.

Although not politically correct in the slightest (every time Japan or the Japanese are mentioned, the cast pull their eyes sideways with their fingers) this is an excellent production, and well worth owning, renting or watching.