'Hot Mikado'
Book and Lyrics by David H Bell
Music by Rob Bowman
Based on Gilbert and Sullivan's 'The Mikado'
Hot Mikado is set in Japan.
Nanki-Poo, the son of the Mikado and travelling in disguise, is trying to escape the advances of Katisha, a femme fatale who has fallen madly in love with him. Nanki-Poo however is trying to find Yum Yum who he met a year earlier and with whom he had fallen in love. Unfortunately when he does find her he discovers she is to be married to Ko Ko the Lord High Executioner.
As he can't marry the woman he loves he decides to end it all and hang himself.
Meanwhile the Mikado, a lover of a good execution, is concerned that no executions have been carried out in the town of Titipu for over a year and decrees that the town will be reduced in rank to the status of a village unless KoKo finds someone to execute. It is agreed that Nanki-Poo will marry Yum Yum then at the end of a month he will be beheaded.
Katisha arrives looking for Nanki-Poo and having been persuaded by Yum Yum not to reveal Nanki-Poo's identity to the crowd, goes off to find the Mikado and spill the beans. Meanwhile Nanki-Poo learns that when he is executed his wife has to be buried alive with him!
The Mikado and Katisha are headed for Titipu but Ko Ko realises he can't go through with the execution so he tells the happy couple to get married and he will forge the execution certificate. The Mikado arrives and asking for proof of the execution sees his son's name on the certificate which means death for the whole town, however Nanki-poo persuades Ko Ko that if he will marry Katisha, Nanki-Poo will 'come back from the dead' and save the town.
Ko Ko successfully seduces and marries Katisha who begs the Mikado for mercy. Nanki-Poo then enters with his new bride Yum Yum. The Mikado is overjoyed to see his son and of course they all live happily ever after.