History Theatre / TheMikado

* TranslationYes: In the children's book version of the story adapted by Gilbert, he explains that Yum-Yum's name supposedly translates as, "The full moon of delight which sheds her remarkable beams over a sea of infinite loveliness, thus indicating a glittering path by which she may be approached by those who are willing to brave the perils which necessarily await the daring adventurers who seek to reach her by those means." He goes on to explain that the Japanese language is remarkably compact.

One of the most famous, if not ''the most-famous'' work by Creator/GilbertAndSullivan, ''The Mikado, or, the Town of Titipu'' opened in 1885. The story of its conception was dramatized in the 1999 film ''Film/TopsyTurvy''.

** Pooh-Bah, likewise, is always cast as a bass or a baritone.

** Peep-Bo, the third of the "three little maids from school"; and Pish-Tush, who is not so much a character as a singing part.

* ListSong: Ko-Ko's "I've got a little list."

* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Yum Yum: Beautiful=Good, Katisha: Ugly=Evil. However this trope is lampshaded and parodied as well. Yum Yum ask why she's the most beautiful woman in the whole world "Can this be vanity? No!". As for Katisha, although she is genuinely bloodthirsty and cruel, her loneliness makes her sympathetic ("Hearts do not break, they sting and ache...").

* {{Bowdlerise}}: A couple of N-word references are generally now re-written in "I've got a little list" and "My object all sublime."

** Also Pitti-Sing, the second "little maid" and character of roughly equal prominence to Pooh-Bah.

* {{Yellowface}}: Part of the originally intended joke is the performers being in yellowface. At the time there was a huge craze for Japan culture in Britain so having the characters be Japanese was a bit of satire. Since the joke is no longer relevant and yellowface [[ValuesDissonance much less acceptable]] directors have chosen to go in different directions.

** Another direction is to make the characters excessively ''British'' (huge sideburns, thick accents) as well as faux-Japanese to rebuild the joke.

* ChristmasCake: Katisha, a very old maid, pines for Nanki-Poo.
** Or, more likely, for the title of "Daughter-in-Law Elect of the Mikado", and eventually Queen. From her behavior in the second act, it is clear that she would pattern her reign after the Queen of Hearts from ''[[Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland Alice in Wonderland]]'' ("[[OffWithHisHead off with their heads]]!"), so the inhabitants of Titipu could heave a sigh of relief that she didn't get her wish.

** When they say Pooh-Bah is "Lord High Everything Else," they mean it.[[note]]First Lord of the Treasury, Lord Chief Justice, Commander-in-Chief, Lord High Admiral, Master of the Hounds, Groom of the Back Stairs, Archbishop of Titipu, Lord Mayor (both acting and elect), Lord Chamberlain, Attorney General, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Privy Purse, Private Secretary (to Ko-Ko), Solicitor (for Ko-Ko, again), Leader of the Opposition, Paymaster General, Lord High Auditor, First (or Chief) Commissioner of Police, Secretary of State for the Home Department ''and'' the Registrar.[[/note]]

** Martyn Greene recounts that when played Ko-Ko, even without changing the words he was often able to get a huge laugh by looking pointedly up at the seats of any visiting dignitaries (once including UsefulNotes/WinstonChurchill!) at ''exactly'' the right moment:

-->'''Pooh-Bah''': I am, in point of fact, a particularly haughty and exclusive person, of pre-Adamite ancestral descent. You will understand this when I tell you that [[UpToEleven I can trace my ancestry back to a protoplasmic primordial atomic globule.]]

-->'''Ko-Ko''': When Your Majesty says "Let a thing be done", it’s as good as done, practically it '''is''' done, because Your Majesty’s will is law. Your Majesty says "Kill a gentleman", and the gentleman is to be killed, consequently that gentleman is as good as dead, practically he '''is''' dead, and if he is dead, why not say so?
-->'''The Mikado''': I see. (DramaticPause) Nothing could possibly be more...satisfactory!

-->'''Ko-Ko''': The fact is, he's gone abroad.\\
'''The Mikado''': Gone abroad? His address!\\
'''Ko-Ko''': Knightsbridge!

--->'''Katisha:''' And you won't hate me because I'm just a little teeny weeny wee bit bloodthirsty, will you?
--->'''Ko-Ko:''' Hate you? Oh, Katisha! is there not beauty even in bloodthirstiness?
--->'''Katisha:''' My idea exactly!

--> Long life to you --
--> Long life to you --
--> Long life to you -- [[GallowsHumor till then!]]

-->"A wand'ring minstrel I,
-->A thing of shreds and patches!"

* WifeHusbandry: Ko-Ko is Yum-Yum's guardian, and explains "I've educated her to be my wife; she's been taught to regard me as a wise and good man."

* LosingYourHead: Provides the quote for the trope.

In a quite fictionalized version of Japan, Nanki-Poo, the son of the Mikado (the Emperor), wanders the streets as a WanderingMinstrel. Meanwhile, a hapless tailor named Ko-Ko has been saved from the chopping block and appointed High Executioner. Instructed to execute ''somebody'' before The Mikado returns, Ko-Ko happens upon Nanki-Poo, who is suicidally in love with the maiden Yum-Yum. Seeing an opportunity, Ko-Ko decides to help Nanki-Poo have his death wish and to be with Yum-Yum. HilarityEnsues.

** A recent version with Alistair Mcgowan rhymed Mikado with the supermarket chain Ocado.

** Or, more likely, for the title of "Daughter-in-Law Elect of the Mikado", and eventually Queen. From her behavior in the second act, it is clear that she would pattern her reign after the Queen of Hearts from ''[[Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland Alice in Wonderland]]'' ("[[OffWithHisHead off with their heads]]!"), so the inhabitants of Titipu could [[spoiler: heave a sigh of relief that she didn't get her wish]].

** The title bird in "Tit-Willow." Ko-Ko sings the song to hint to [[spoiler: Katisha]] that he may do the same if she rejects him.

One of the most famous, if not ''the most-famous'' work by Creator/GilbertAndSullivan, '''''The Mikado, or, the Town of Titipu''''' opened in 1885. The story of its conception was dramatized in the 1999 film ''Film/TopsyTurvy''.

* [[IAmSong "I Am" Song]]: "If you want to know who we are", "A wandering minstrel, I", "Behold the Lord High Executioner", "Comes a train of little ladies", "Three little maids from school" and "Miya sama". Yes, six of them, quite possibly a record.

** When they say Pooh-Bah is "Lord High Everything Else," they mean it.[[note]]First Lord of the Treasury, Lord Chief Justice, Commander-in-Chief, Lord High Admiral, Master of Accounts, Groom of the Back Stairs, Archbishop of Titipu, Lord Mayor (both acting and elect), Lord Chamberlain, Attorney General, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Privy Purse, Private Secretary (to Ko-Ko), Solicitor (for Ko-Ko, again), Leader of the Opposition, Paymaster General, Lord High Auditor, First (or Chief) Commissioner of Police, Secretary of State for the Home Department ''and'' the Registrar.[[/note]]

** When they say Pooh-Bah is "Lord High Everything Else," they mean it.[[note:]]First Lord of the Treasury, Lord Chief Justice, Commander-in-Chief, Lord High Admiral, Master of Accounts, Groom of the Back Stairs, Archbishop of Titipu, Lord Mayor (both acting and elect), Lord Chamberlain, Attorney General, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Privy Purse, Private Secretary (to Ko-Ko), Solicitor (for Ko-Ko, again), Leader of the Opposition, Paymaster General, Lord High Auditor, First (or Chief) Commissioner of Police, Secretary of State for the Home Department ''and'' the Registrar.[[/note]]

** When they say Pooh-Bah is "Lord High Everything Else," they mean it.[[note:]]First Lord of the Treasury, Lord Chief Justice, Commander-in-Chief, Lord High Admiral, Master of Accounts, Groom of the Back Stairs, Archbishop of Titipu, Lord Mayor (both acting and elect), Lord Chamberlain, Attorney General, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Privy Purse, Private Secretary (to Ko-Ko), Solicitor (for Ko-Ko, again), Leader of the Opposition, Paymaster General, Lord High Auditor, First (or Chief) Commissioner of Police, Secretary of State for the Home Department ''and'' the Registrar.[[note]]

** When they say Pooh-Bah is "Lord High Everything Else," they mean it.[[labelnote:*]]First Lord of the Treasury, Lord Chief Justice, Commander-in-Chief, Lord High Admiral, Master of Accounts, Groom of the Back Stairs, Archbishop of Titipu, Lord Mayor (both acting and elect), Lord Chamberlain, Attorney General, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Privy Purse, Private Secretary (to Ko-Ko), Solicitor (for Ko-Ko, again), Leader of the Opposition, Paymaster General, Lord High Auditor, First (or Chief) Commissioner of Police, Secretary of State for the Home Department ''and'' the Registrar.[[/labelnote]]