To begin, a confession: before reviewing, my knowledge of ‘The Mikado’ extended to chocolate coated breadsticks. My acquaintance with musical theatre was of the most fleeting kind. 

The rousing overture with which the show began, taking us on a miniature emotional journey through the play, put the show on a steady footing. I was impressed by Gillean Denny’s simple but effective set design, which gave a convincing Japanese backdrop; however, I was thoroughly unprepared for the masterpiece of operatic absurdity it was to host.

Matthew Friett played a bouncy Nanki-Poo, a minstrel searching for his beloved Yum-Yum in the town of Titipu (the comedy writes itself, really). Though it may have taken a while for the anxiety of having an all-singing, all-dancing chorus prancing about in front of me to wear off, once it did, I was loving it.

The show was buoyant, reeling off (two) scores of musical numbers and some impressively varied choreography. Mistimed entrances, stray notes and choreographical slip-ups, albeit only occasional, were what prevented ‘The Mikado’ from achieving 5-star polish; though for a show with a staggering twenty-four musical numbers, that isn’t bad going.

Beneath its veneer of friendly preposterousness lay a fiendish satire, teased out by the self-proclaimed ‘smiley one’ Helen Oxenham as Pitti-Sing: one could smell just a hint of psychosis as she bounced up and down beaming, ‘Everything is a source of fun’. Faith Barker’s astonishing voice gave depth to the evil Katisha - and kudos to whoever did her makeup. And, for that matter, The Mikado’s fat-suit. Nathan Brown himself, however, was rather more deflated. Joachim Cassel was the best all-rounder, both a commanding stage presence and accomplished singer.

The most admirable quality of any comedy is its ability to laugh at itself, which this operetta did brilliantly: one of my favourite lines was the Mikado’s villainously asserting, ‘Virtue is triumphant only in theatrical performances’. The show built up to a jubilant crescendo, proving that that the biggest musical numbers were in fact the most impressive.

Frankly, I am surprised the Cambridge Gilbert and Sullivan Society is not a bigger deal. Even to my unmusical ears, their virtuosity was outstanding. ‘The Mikado’ was more than just lighthearted, culturally-insensitive fun: it was masterly and delightful.