GILBERT and Sullivan's The Mikado will come alive at the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre from November 6 to 15.
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Presented by the Queanbeyan Players to mark their 50th anniversary, the comic opera will be performed true to the original script, with some minor updated references, seasoned local director Jude Colquhoun said.
Ms Colquhoun said there were two songs where the majority of the words have been changed to include contemporary references, to cite things that would resonate with a modern audience.
She said it was nice to be able to have the capacity to alter the script, having performed the piece twice herself.
"I've actually been in the cast twice with different companies, in the last two versions that have been done in Canberra," Ms Colquhoun said.
"One of my very first shows in amateur theatre was The Mikado, assisting with lights. It drew me in with wanting to perform. It is a very special show for me."
Ms Colquhoun said the play is one of three Gilbert and Sullivan shows that is still very popular.
HMS Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance, along with The Mikado, resonate because they are clever, with "beautiful harmonies and melodies".
"Gilbert wrote with such a wit that even lines now, without being changed, are very, very funny," she said.
The performing cast for the production at The Q is made of up nine principals, four of whom are long-term members of the Queanbeyan Players and have led principal roles in the past, and five of them are relatively new or brand new to principal roles.
"Our chorus ranges in age from early 20s to early 80s, so it's a real village," Ms Colquhoun said.
"We haven't got just one age bracket, we've got a good dynamic, a good range of people and they're working so well together."
Ms Colquhoun said she is very excited about how well the cast is performing together.
"I can't wipe the smile off my face at the minute," she said.
The Mikado will be at The Q from November 6 to 15. Tickets are available for $45 for adults, $40 for concession, $25 for children 15 years and under and $35 for groups of six or more. To book or find out more, visit theq.net.au
