Review: The McAdo by Gilbert & Sullivan Austin
by David Glen Robinson
The 2023 grand production of Gilbert & Sullivan Austin (GSA), The McAdo, premiered June 9 at the Worley Barton Theater in north Austin after a monumental hiatus. Work on the clever relocation of The Mikado to Scotland, songs and characters intact, began well before the pandemic, which stopped all work on it. When it was deemed that the coast was clear, the show premiered in 2022. Immediately after the premiere performance, COVID rendered more than a dozen cast and orchestra members hors de combat and the 2022 show run was canceled. O happy day, the complex “light” opera has now reopened with nary a cough or sneeze onstage or in the audience.
The original of The Mikado is a great opera-theatre artifact. With music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W.S. Gilbert, it premiered in March, 1885 at the Savoy Theatre in London. Wikipedia notes that by the end of that year it was in production by as many as 150 companies in Britain and North America. The story of life, death, and absurd, bumbling government officials getting in the way of romance has lost no popularity since. In the late 1990s, Asian-American social groups began to object publicly to the mythical Japanese setting and Asian stereotypes, but the story is universalizing and could be set anywhere on the planet in any society. GSA has taken advantage of this insight.
Michelle Haché directed this highly complicated production through its many ups and downs. She reveals her great love of singing, but also gives great attention to acting, notably including the highly comedic opening sequence and tableau over the overture. Haché perpetuates the humorous leitmotif of a running gag in all her shows. It varies, but it is there when you look for it. In The McAdo, it was a through-schtick of Scottish drunks, tartan clad, wandering into quiet romantic scenes and falling asleep on park benches or wherever. Simple, but it got laughs.
Jeffrey Jones-Ragona was the usual brilliant musical director and conductor we have come to respect highly. Christine Jean-Jacques, a citizen of the world, created excellent choreography on a sometimes highly crowded stage. The rest of the production team gave able support for the most part.
GSA maintains an impressive stable of talent in Austin and for this production called back some who had moved away. For example, among the principals, Mary Kettlewell as the near-universal object of desire Wynn Somme projects a crystal-clear soprano without warble or vibrato. That and her physicality are sufficient to win her any number of romantic leading roles. Her object of desire, Nanky Doug, was sung excellently by Austinite Michael Kelley Dixon.
Sam Johnson and Bob Beare, both redoubtable, sang Pubagh and The McAdo, respectively. Their singing and acting grounded for the entire production. Amy Selby as Wee Jo and Julius Young as Pischtusch brought operatic singing, character, and presence to the production. Trey Deason as Coco (the tailor turned “Lord High Executioner”) mined comedic gold from the weak, confused, but ultimately winning character. As a consequential lyricist, Deason followed the tradition of updating the “I’ve got a little list, of those who never will be missed” ditty in Act I.
The skilled and hard-working chorus performed immense amounts of support singing, acting, and dancing. Susan Johnston Taylor was listed as the last name in the second column of the program. She could have been the principal. No figuring the audition process! It suffices that the GSA pool of committed artists is a deep well of talent.
Attending the premiere performance of any production, as this reviewer did, is a good way of observing the squirmy underbelly of the beast. Microphone failures beset Act I, during which the voice levels of singing performers dropped without warning. This lapse was distracting and aggravating in the case of Trey Deason, but Sam Johnson’s booming instrument adapted to it instantly. Act II seemed to fix that problem, but near the climax of the story at least a three second loud burst of fuzzy static interrupted the proceedings, followed a few seconds later by a second burst. The loud disturbance did not slow our doughty stage heroes and heroines at all, but the usually-state-of-the-art Worley-Barton sound system seemed less than perfect. The program credits for sound designer/engineer went to Johann Mahler Solo. Cake and noshes at the gala reception afterward soothed nerves and buzzing ears of audience members mingling with cast and crew.
Savoyards everywhere should come to The McAdo, Gilbert & Sullivan Austin’s brilliantly reimagined world-class opera take-off on The Mikado. This production should be attended by all. With The McAdo (pronounced the same way as the original work), GSA earns bragging rights at having produced something new under the opera sun while paying full respect to that which came before. Gilbert and Sullivan would be proud. This modern show could well grow legs, with follow-on productions elsewhere. It runs at the Worley Barton Theater in the Brentwood Christian School off Lamar Boulevard in far north Austin until June 18, 2023.
The McAdo
by Gilbert & Sullivan
Gilbert & Sullivan Austin
June 09 - June 18, 2023
June 9 - 18, 2023
Thursdays - Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. curtain; 2 p.m. matinees on Saturdays and Sundays
pre-show talks at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 10 (director Michelle Haché) and 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16 (From The Mikado to The McAdo)
Worley-Barton Theatre, Brentwood Christian School, 11908 N. Lamar, Austin
Click HERE to view seating chart
Advance purchase: $32 Adults | $20 Students over 18 with ID | $10 for 18 & under
Price at the Door: $37 Adults | $24 Students over 18 with ID | $13 for 18 & under
VIP Tickets $100: One reserved seat ticket, reserved premium parking, seat draping, and stage recognition (unless you prefer not to be recognized).
Group Sales: Single purchases of 10 or more tickets can be made online for a 10% discount, or by calling the Long Center Box Office (512-474-5664) . For other discounted group sales of 10 or more, contact Michael Meigs:
512-420-0888 or michael@gilbertsullivan.org
Tickets also available by phone by calling 512-474-5664 M-F 10am-5pm
Ticket services fees apply on all categories of ticket
Credit card charges will appear as "Long Center"
Tickets may also be purchased at the Long Center box office
See website: www.gilbertsullivan.org
