Chicago Tribune
- Recommended
"...Hot Mikado, which requires the expenditure of no brain cells whatsoever, isn’t a bad choice for the dog days of August. Bell’s adaptation is a very shrewd piece of work and there is bravura flash aplenty. This is, of course, a spoof of a spoof, but everything survives. Just like Sullivan’s timeless melodies."
Chicago Sun Times
- Highly Recommended
"...The comic story here is about ill-fated lovers, power politics and possible beheadings, but that is unimportant. (If there is one flaw here, it is that the show's second act gets bogged down in plot.) What is truly of the essence are the endless knockout dance routines and displays of vocal pyrotechnics -- from an apache duet to tour de force tap numbers, to riffs on everything from madrigals to roof-raising gospel cries, all accented by a strong hint of the English original. Marcus Stephens' color-saturated Japanese woodcut-like set, with peony-pink folding fans (one hiding the superb band led by Jeremy Kahn), plus an array of zoot-suited gents (applause for Jeremy W. Floyd's costumes), enhances this sexy "Hot Mikado" fusion."
Chicago Reader
- Somewhat Recommended
"... Bell's book overlays W.S. Gilbert's plot with just a thin veneer of swing-era hepcatishness, and Bowman's jazzy or bluesy arrangements make Arthur Sullivan's tunes sparkle. In the end, however, the conceit never rises above the level of a very clever, entertaining, but shallow stunt. I left yearning to see the original."
Copley News Service
- Recommended
"... The production gets off to a rousing start with some high stepping swing dancing by an ensemble of hoofers who distinguish themselves all night. And the singing is well up to the mark, mostly by the women—Summer Smart as Yum Yum, Aurelia Williams as a blues-shouting Katisha, and that veteran treasure Susan Moniz rattling the rafters as Pitti-Sing."
Centerstage
- Highly Recommended
"...Thank god the stage is covered with giant fans, because this musical is smokin'! David Bell's adaptation of "The Swing Mikado," a 1938 African-American version of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, has an apt title. The orchestrations, choreography, vocal work and even the acting are all scorching hot."
Time Out Chicago
- Somewhat Recommended
"...
This Mikado works best when its multiple conceits fall away, allowing the considerable skills of its performers to shine forth in genuinely showstopping routines. Most memorably, Levy, playing the Mikado, brings the second act to an extended halt with a gloriously indulgent tap routine. As spurned lover Katisha, Williams also radiates star power; her commanding entrance rescues a first act foundering on tedious vaudevillesque routines between Lord High Executioner Ko Ko (Schellhardt) and his foil Pooh-Bah (Todd M. Kryger). The company as a whole dances athletically and puts the spectacle over as fervently as any champion show choir. It’s a mess, but a flashy one."
ChicagoCritic
- Highly Recommended
"...What a wonderful formula: a fresh jazz-infused Gilbert & Sullivan adaptation with strong dance and comic elements, sung with dynamic voices directed and choreographed by David H. Bell. High energy and fun awaits in the Hot Mikado. This smash hit needs to be seen to be believed. This is sophisticated and smart musical comedy. Trust me on this one."
Chicago Stage and Screen
- Highly Recommended
"...The talent that has been assembled here, from the above mentioned performers to the exceptional ensemble, represents Chicago musical theatre at its finest. The live band, which plays under one of the giant oriental fans that frame the stage, sizzles under Michael Mahler's scorching musical direction. The true star of this production, however, has got to be David H. Bell, who has not only returned to direct and choreograph the work he originated in Washington, D.C. at the Ford's Theatre in 1986, but who also provided the updated script and lyrical modifications. Bell is once again at the peak of his estimable gifts, and his classy and creative touch abounds in this Drury Lane production. This is a "Hot" treat any time of the year."
Around The Town Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...It is always a treat to see a David Bell show. His direction and choreography is top notch and when it comes to “The Hot Mikado” a clever adaptation of the classic Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta “Mikado” that Bell did back in the late 80′s, yes about 25 years ago, this is his “baby” and since its inception this baby has matured nicely. For those of you who have never had the enjoyment and pleasure of viewing this masterpiece, you now have the opportunity to catch a superb production at Drury Lane Oakbrook."
Chicago Theater Beat
- Highly Recommended
"...Pizzazz-packed as it is, it’s still possible to wish that, color-blind casting aside, Hot Mikado was, like its original, all-black (instead of, as here, fitfully integrated). It’s weird to hear white performers sing what you know would be cooked to a crisp by a black cast. Soul singing, especially of blues standards, will belong culturally to some folks more than others. But then Marriott’s production was equally opportunistic, so I’m resigned to it."
