The McAdo or, The Town of Ballydew

7/31-8/9, Bartell Theatre, at 7:30 pm Friday and 3 pm Saturday-Sunday, plus 7:30 pm, 8/6. $36 ($21 students).

media release: Madison Savoyards presents The McAdo, a new adaptation of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado, set in the Scottish Highlands. While the setting and character names are updated and altered, it’s otherwise the same topsy-turvy tale and brilliant musical score that has delighted audiences worldwide for well over a century.

 Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado remains one of the best known of their comic operas, satirizing society, politics, and powerful people tying themselves into knots in order to carry out the letter of the law while protecting their own interests (sound familiar?); set in a mythical Japan.

Addressing the inherent issues of yellowface and Asian caricature in Mikado, Gilbert & Sullivan Austin (Texas) re-visions the story in feudal Scotland, keeping the satire and music intact with small tweaks to the names and libretto.

Accompanied by live orchestra, the music is imbued with lively, complex harmonies and the soaring arias of classical opera. A parade of Gilbert & Sullivan favorites includes “A wand’ring minstrel, I,” “Three little maids from school,” and Coco’s patter song, “As some day it may happen” (“I’ve got a little list”).

Traveling musician Nanky Doug (who is really the son of the head clansman, the McAdo), is in love with local commoner Wynn Somme. Trouble is, she is betrothed to Coco, who was condemned to death for flirting before being promoted to the post of Lord High Executioner. When the McAdo orders an execution, Coco realizes that he can’t kill another person until he first kills himself, which sets in motion a preposterous scheme to keep everyone from losing their heads. With the assistance of the ambitious Pubagh, a government official in charge of everything, there’s no shortage of running gags, increasingly preposterous twists, and lampooning turns.

 Performed on the Drury Stage