The Mikado at Wolf Trap

C – Don’t you just love Wolf Trap? It’s a National Park that happens to be a first class performing arts venue. And on a gorgeous night, it’s the best place to enjoy a picnic in the Metro DC area. I’ve been attending Wolf Trap performances since I was a child. My mother used to buy lawn tickets, set up a blanket with a picnic and let me run around while she sipped her chardonnay out of a plastic wine glass. One of the things you notice at Wolf Trap is the diverse crowd. Children playing, mixed in with couples, singles, friends, families and grandparents — the demographics would confuse any market researcher. It truly is a venue all can enjoy.

On Friday, I went to see The Mikado (or, The Town of Titipu) — a satirical operetta set in Japan. With characters like Nanki Poo, Pooh-Bah, and Yum-Yum, you are primed for giggles from the start. The Mikado is one of those things everyone has seen, or has seen a part of, and each incarnation offers a slightly different interpretation. The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players have been performing The Mikado every year at Wolf Trap since 1985. Sticking mostly true to the original intent of the work, they veered into some modern territory. References to the Department of Homeland Security, DC101 and the IRS added a little bit of local and topical flavor. In the list of those who “never would be missed” were obsessive Facebookers, texters who used ROFL and LMFAO, and Michelle Bachman. I felt like they overdid the current references slightly, but the audience loved it (they were ROFL) and since Gilbert & Sullivan is really opera for people who aren’t into opera, it all worked really well.

A quick note on Wolf Trap: you can bring in your own picnic (alcohol too!) but you can’t eat or drink anything but water in the covered theatre area. Water is essential during hot summer performances, so bring your own. Buying a bottle there will run you $4.50.