Musically, stronger than the splendid Carl Rosa Opera staging seen at the Lyceum at the end of May, Richard Balcombe (with Carl Rosa links) conducted with irresistably winning purpose and elan. He also secured superb, full-blooded chorus singing.
Donald Maxwell, naturally, was in a totally different imposing vocal and dramatic world to Sylvester McCoy in the title role, but the excellent Jill Pert's gorgon-like Katisha didn't obliterate the less-vocally endowed Nicola McAufliffe's acutely observed, vulnerably human Carl Rosa portrayal.

David Curry's Nanki-Poo was a surpise package with strong voice and acting ability, Charlotte Page offered a different Yum-Yum to her Carl Rosa one and Bruce Graham a rather mischievous Pooh-Bah.

Simon Butteriss' completely manic, bespectacled Ko-Ko had the audience in stitches, although he calmed down to deliver a straight Tit-Willow.
He may have pushed Andrew Nicklin, a first-rate music director as well as stage director, into a staging with musical theatre leanings. It had considerable attention to detail, was on traditional grounds but with many touches that lifted it out of routine.

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